Time enough to be with you
by Jesa Jaisai
Summary: Bulma discovers she has a strange disease for which there is no cure. It is beyond Shenlongs power to alter, and she soon learns that Vegeta knows of a cure on another planet. Will he save Bulmas life? Or will his pride not allow him?I -WILL- FINISH THIS!
1. Chapter One: I have seven months

1.1 TIME ENOUGH TO BE WITH YOU  
  
  
  
I'm probably getting ahead of myself again; writing another Bulma/Vegeta fanfic while I have dozens of others to finish. But this idea popped into my head and I couldn't ignore it. I have a few warnings with this one. #1. This story has graphic sex, so if that bothers you, then look somewhere else for a fanfic. #2. This story also has graphic language, violence, and other situations that a few of you may find offensive. I'm not trying to offend anyone; I just seem unable to write a story without adding my usual dosage of angst, as I am told it is my specialty. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy reading this, and…  
  
I WOULD REALLY LOVE TO GET REVIEWS!  
  
^_^ Thanks! Peace out.  
  
~Jesa Jaisai #732  
  
millenia@vampirehunter.com  
  
  
  
2 Chapter One: I have seven months  
  
  
  
Alone in the massive expanse of the Capsule Corp. backyard, Yaumcha leaned against the side of the building and cried quietly to himself, sure he was alone in his misery.  
  
From the start of their relationship never once had he cried. Tears had never escaped his eyes all through their troubles; the tireless fights left him always angry but always dry. While Bulma would stalk off, so emotional, to bury her face in her pillow to cry, Yaumcha always fought to remain in her eyes the strong willed warrior who had no need for tears.  
  
Now he had more than enough need for them, he supposed bitterly. And now he would shed them, because all who watched him had no quarrel with who he was and what he had done, as it was only the darkening evening sky that beheld his pain. He stared into and past the blinking specks of light and inhaled a huge, shaky breath. He had been so unfair to her, and now, as he had just beheld her sad smile, he realized there were not enough Dragonballs to wish for an erase of all the times he had hurt her. Kami, how he wished he could erase them all. But time was as time would be, and it was not about to be so kind as to grant him such a wish. Exhaling a cloud of suddenly frosty air, he rubbed his arms and prepared to head back inside where the rest of the family was gathered, but a thought stopped him. Everybody who knew Bulma was beside her bed as of now, everybody except that pompous asshole of a Sayajin, Vegeta. He wondered absently where he was right now. It didn't matter, nothing mattered but Bulma. But soon even she would not matter, but instead would disappear from life and become nothing but a memory.  
  
Yaumcha slid down the wall and pulled his knees up to his chest. He burried his face in them, and resorted back to the manner in which he had dealt with sadness when he was but a child…  
  
He sobbed helplessly.  
  
* * *  
  
Am I really going to die?  
  
Finally, they had left the room. Finally, the choking cloud of the Z Fighters and her family and friends had lifted and drifted out of her bedroom to leave her with her thoughts. They were not happy ones, but she did not know how much longer she could have dealt with the mass of tears and sad words. Their pain was expected, but not well received.  
  
Bulma pushed the thin bedsheet off of her legs and stared down at them. What had he called it? Fortricres? A terrible disease for which, the Doctor had informed her with a terrible finality, there was no known cure. And she, a woman of all her 21 years, was the first female to ever receive it.  
  
Of course, the Dragonballs had been the first to defy the Doctors words. But Master Roshi had sadly shaken his head and informed them that the eternal Dragon Shenlong would not grant such a wish as to bring her back, as the disease was so powerful and relentless that it was beyond his power. To know that inside her body, millions of multiplying cells was forming a death that even the mysterious and awesome power of Dragon could not defeat, was complete and utter terror.  
  
And Goku, her best friend in the entire world, had leapt to his feet and challenged the word of everyone who stood around the giant hospital bed that dwarfed her. Such was the innocence and determination in his eyes that tears had streaked Bulma's pale cheeks, the first to grace her skin. And so sad was the look on his face when he realized that this was one battle he could not win for her, she had wanted to die. Right then, and right there. But she had exactly seven months of suffering before such a thing would grant her mercy, and no one was about to let her go before that, no matter what.  
  
She did not know what was worse. Knowing she would never see any of her dearly loved friends again, or not knowing what death would feel like. Goku had tried to explain it to her before, but of course, the intelligence required to explain in detail such a terrible event was beyond him. How many people would come to her funeral? Where would she go, after they had lowered her body six feet into the earth? Would she lay forever, cold and helpless? Who would come, every Sunday, to put fresh flowers on her grave?  
  
Yaumcha?  
  
Would Yaumcha come? Would he pay the money and fly the distance to bring her roses? Her bottom lip trembled as she thought of the possibility that he wouldn't. He said he loved her, but was the event of her sudden departure the only thing that had brought it out of him after six long weeks of ignoring her?  
  
If he did love her, than love would keep him from going after the first pretty girl he saw. For at least…the first month. But Bulma would be forgotten, and pictures would be turned over and tucked hurriedly away under his bed. And Yaumcha would remember that she was gone forever, and would not allow his once faint flicker of love for her to hold him back from going on with his life.  
  
Am I wrong to hate him for that?  
  
The tears came again. Relentless, they coursed hot trails down her flushed cheeks. It wasn't fair. All her life, she had helped others. With her inventions and her knowledge she had discovered countless numbers of Dragonballs, risked her life to help Goku, and constantly been there for him and his friends whenever they needed it. Now, she was dying, and they could do nothing. No miraculous wish would bring her back from death. The Dragon would not listen to her this time.  
  
She thrashed her legs and slammed her fists against the table drawn across her lap. Sweet death would not come soon enough.  
  
* * *  
  
Vegeta wandered absently into the Capsule Corp. Building, a white towel around his neck. He tore his gloves off and tossed them negligently on the kitchen counter, opening the fridge to scout for his next meal. Only then did he notice the awful and unusual silence that blanketed the house. He frowned, and closed the fridge door. The absence of music and the overly cheerful squeals of Bulma's mother seemed far too strange. He listened. Below, the faint humming of Dr.Briefs machines did not greet his ears. Something was definitely amiss.  
  
He stepped out of the kitchen and rounded the corner into the living room where nearly everyone he knew stood, eyes downcast, most filled with tears. He stood awkwardly in front of them, looking terribly out of place, before folding his arms across his chest and placing himself against the far wall. To his left in the shadowed corner stood Piccolo, his grim visage strangely troubled. Vegeta frowned and looked to the loveseat, where Ms.Briefs sat sniffling and dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief.  
  
"Did I miss something?"  
  
All of their heads snapped up, startled, as they just noticed the Sayajin Prince standing amongst them. Vegeta first noticed Kakarott, who had an arm draped across his Chi-Chi's shoulders as she cried. His eyes met Vegeta's and he could see a pain deeper than anything Vegeta had even seen in their depths.  
  
"No Ouji." Piccolo said quietly. "Show some respect."  
  
Vegeta straightened and scowled. "Why need I show respect? What happened here?"  
  
Goku was the first to come forward. "Just this once, Vegeta, acknowledge that there are others here besides you, others that demand more attention than you do." He paused. "Something awful has happened."  
  
"What?" Vegeta snapped.  
  
Ms.Briefs looked up, her chin quivering. "Its Bulma…she…she…" the woman broke off in a fit of hysterics and leaned back into her husbands shoulder. Dr.Briefs glared silently across the room into Vegeta's waiting eyes. "She's dying, Vegeta. The Doctors discovered…today…she has a…disease. There is no cure." He paused in an attempt to hold back his own sorrow. "She has seven months to live."  
  
Vegeta did not know why, but the words struck a raw nerve deep within himself that would not be ignored. Annoyed, he pushed it aside for the briefest of moments and spoke. "Your sorrow is pointless. You will simply wish her back with the Dragonballs, will you not?"  
  
Silence hung thick within the room, save for the faint crying of the two women. "It's not that simple, Vegeta." DrBriefs replied. "The eternal Dragon will not grant the wish. It is beyond his power to alter."  
  
Now Vegeta sat, slowly, lowering himself into a crouch. He stared ahead at the floor, the words going through his mind all at once. Bulma was going to die? Annoying, loud, bossy Bulma? Insults failed him. She was truly going to depart and never return. Would she never again throw his dirty laundry at his face and tell him to wash it himself? Oddly, he felt a strange sadness swell in his chest. He looked back up again.  
  
"What is the disease?" he asked quietly.  
  
"It has a strange name. The Doctors said that there have only been known cases of it in space…which is why we don't understand how in the world it got here…it is called Fortricres." He said softly, his voice hardly audible. "Its origin is unknown, and the Doctors know little more about it than the fact that is has no known cure. It slowly breaks down the immune system, and then attacks the brain with a series of…" he trailed off, unable to continue.  
  
Fortricres.  
  
The name echoed deep in Vegeta's mind. He had heard that word…somewhere…long ago. He frowned deeply as he tried to remember why the word sounded familiar to him. He noticed the odd looks he was getting from the others, his concern obviously a surprise. At last it struck him, in a burst of colorful memory. He saw a Planet, red in color. He was approaching it rapidly in a Sayajin space pod…  
  
Vegeta stood. "I know the disease." He said. "There is a cure." 


	2. Chapter Two: Fortricres Revealed

1 Chapter Two: Fortricres Revealed  
  
  
  
Everyone rushed at Vegeta in a mad fury, swarming him with a million questions all at once, filling his already shocked brain with more stress than he needed.  
  
"Shut up!" he roared, trying to push them back. Dr.Briefs stared back at him with cold eyes, as the others pawed at him with the hope that he may hold the answer to their problem. "You had better not be lying to me, Vegeta. If this is your idea of some sick joke, I will personally see to it that you never set foot in here again."  
  
The room became suddenly silent, and Vegeta narrowed ebony eyes dangerously at the human father. "What?" he hissed. "You think I would lie?" he paused, on the brink of turning and leaving. These miserable humans had no right to accuse him of dishonesty. "I have more honor than you would assume." He said quietly, and turned to leave. Chi-Chi threw herself at him, catching his arm seconds before he was around the corner. "Vegeta!" she cried. "Please…" He stopped, one second away from turning and blowing them all to oblivion. What was this? For once, he was doing well by trying to help, by divulging important information, and they throw it in his face. Perhaps he was not so far from returning to being the murderous bastard he once had been. Perhaps it was not beyond him to fire a good sized Ki blast into the untrustworthy face of that idiot scientist…  
  
And perhaps, he could save the life of a young woman who had not yet begun to live.  
  
"I know well of this disease that you speak of." He grumbled, yanking his arm free of Chi-Chi's grip. "And I know where to find the cure."  
  
Ms.Briefs nearly bolted out of her seat. "Where!?" she cried, her voice cracking. "Oh, Kami, please tell me you know where…"  
  
"I said I did, didn't I?" he snapped, ignoring completely the wounded look on her face. He waited a moment before turning back to the group. "It is located on a planet called R'haksin." He said softly. "The cure is a rare type of fern that inhabits their planet curing certain cycles of the year."  
  
"Vegeta," Chi-Chi breathed, "How do you know all this?"  
  
He crossed his arms and closed his eyes, and his story began to unfold.  
  
"When I was young, only fifteen years of age, Freiza sent me on a mission to a Planet not far from Vegetasei to gather a large group of aliens for armor and weaponry fashioning. I was sent alone; it was one of my first missions out of Vegetasei." He paused. "I was ordered to give the offer to the alien people and return a number of weeks later to collect them if they had agreed. But my pod malfunctioned, and crashed, and I landed a number of Planets away from the one I had been assigned to. The aliens that inhabited the Planet R'haksin were not exactly 'hospitable'. I had to kill a number of them before the others learned well enough to stay clear of me.  
  
"I quickly learned that the alien tribes on R'haksin were highly advanced in technology, and I ordered them to fix my Pod. It took a number of weeks, as it had malfunctioned very badly, and in my spare time I soon picked up their language. I learned, soon after, of a terrible disease that had befallen half the population of their people."  
  
"Forticres…" Chi-Chi breathed.  
  
Vegeta sighed. "The leader of R'haksin, Treskor, told me of the disease. He told me why half their population was rapidly declining; the cure was a rare plant that only grew in their 'fall' and as it was summer on R'haskin when I had arrived, there was no way to cure any of them." he paused. "As it was not contagious, I was able to 'visit' a number of the dying. It was…" he paused, not sure if describing the diseased was a good idea. He cleared his throat. "They were very ill."  
  
Piccolo was the only one who seemed to notice that Vegeta had spared the rest of the company the pain of hearing what Fortricres did to someone. He exchanged a knowing glance, a glance of respect. Vegeta returned it with a grunt, but it went unnoticed by the others. He looked back at them. "That is all I know." He said, bringing the story to an abrupt halt.  
  
Goku rubbed the back of his head in a distressed fashion. "So…it's a possibility that we could travel to this R'haksin Planet and get the plant?"  
  
"There would be no we, Kakarott." Vegeta said suddenly. "I am the only one among us who knows what the plant looks like. I alone know where on the Planet that it grows, and I alone know their language." He paused meaningfully. "They are a very violent race."  
  
Ms.Briefs swallowed hard. "Are you saying…Vegeta…that you would be willing to go to this Planet?"  
  
Vegeta lifted his eyes sharply to her own, which were overfilling with tears. He thought of Bulma, lying in her bed, dying. Did he truly care if she died or not? He had no use for her. She was always at his throat, constantly attacking him with verbal assaults. Not only was she annoying, but she had a temper to match his own, and while he found it strangely exciting, it also threatened him at the same time. Now, he looked around the living room filled with the people who loved and cared for her.  
  
"I…don't know." He said abruptly.  
  
"Please…" it was a whisper at his back as he turned and left the room.  
  
* * *  
  
"Vegeta"  
  
Vegeta turned at the sound of Yaumcha's voice. Weakling he thought bitterly upon seeing the man step toward him. They stood in the dimly lit hallway in front of Bulma's bedroom, and Vegeta immediately sensed the flare of Ki from the warrior. Perhaps he felt threatened that such a man as he was standing in front of his mate's bedroom. What would he think when Vegeta saved her life?  
  
Wait…am I even going to do that?  
  
"I heard what you said." He said quietly, obviously unsure of how to talk to the Prince. Vegeta folded his arms and waited to hear more, impatient. "What?" he growled. "Are you coming to demand that you accompany me?"  
  
"No." Yaumcha said quietly. "I want to thank you…" he trailed off hesitantly. "You…are going...aren't you?"  
  
"I haven't decided." Vegeta replied coolly.  
  
Now it was Yaumcha's turn to be angry. With a barely contained cry he lunged at the Sayajin Prince in front of him, his hands balled into fists. Vegeta remained standing, impassive and unaffected by the man's sudden show of courage. "You arrogant, unfeeling piece of shit!" Yaumcha hissed. "She's dying, there's nothing we can, and then a way is shown and you won't help her!" he glared defiantly into Vegeta's bottomless onyx eyes. "You don't deserve to save her life."  
  
"And you? You deserve to treat her the way you do? By going off every chance you get to flirt with other human females at those ridiculous nightclubs?" Vegeta snorted. "Think, child, before you insult me. You have more than enough room to talk."  
  
Yaumcha's face flushed a deep scarlet. "I love her, Vegeta. I love her despite everything."  
  
Vegeta said nothing.  
  
"If you don't go…then I will. Whether or not I know the damn plant. I will go."  
  
"Would you?" Vegeta asked softly.  
  
Yaumcha turned, silent, back into the shadows of the hallway. He stopped at the edge of the landing, where he turned back to Vegeta, his face undetectable in the darkness. "I would." He whispered softly, and turned and left.  
  
* * *  
  
Bulma hugged the sheets around her body as her heart hammered in her chest, listening to the retreating sound of Vegeta's feet as he walked softly past her door. She watched his shadow pass through the thin line of light under her door and wondered what he and Yaumcha had been talking about. She had heard bits and traces, but none of it made any sense. Sighing, she laid back into her bed and curled onto her side, staring numbly out the window and into the endless black sky. Would she see stars where she would go after this life?  
  
She hoped she would.  
  
* * *  
  
She was sleeping when he opened her door, slowly, as not to wake her. The moonlight shone in through the window and sent strange patterns across her bed sheets. As quietly as he could, Vegeta shut the door behind him with a soft click. He stood, inches from her bed, and watched the slow rising and falling of her chest as she breathed, deep in the realms of sleep.  
  
Do I care for this woman enough to save her life? Is she important enough, that I risk my own?  
  
Bulma stirred then, as if sensing his thoughts. The muscles tensed in Vegeta's body as he prepared to retreat should she wake. But he was not fast enough to anticipate her next move, as she suddenly sat up with alarming quickness and stared him straight in the eye.  
  
"What are you doing?" she whispered after a moment of uncomfortable silence had passed.  
  
Vegeta frowned. What was he doing? What was it that had possessed him to enter this girl's room to watch her sleep?  
  
"I know…about Fortricres." He said quietly. He remained where he stood, and Bulma gave no indication that she wished for him to be closer. Time passed painstakingly slowly as the two stared each other down, as though both calculating the others motives. At last Bulma released a breath and shuffled back so that she was leaning against the headboard.  
  
"I know. I heard you and Yaumcha." She said accusingly. "What were you two talking about?"  
  
Vegeta's defense flared up. "I…know of a cure." He said, scowling. "I know the planet on which to find it. It is a small plant, unknown in its name, but I remember well enough what it looks like." He noticed the bewildered look on her face and paused. "It is a Planet called R'Haksin. The people there, called Storkrins, were plagued by Fortricres a number of years ago. My Sayajin pod crash-landed there on a failed mission sent by Freiza. While they fixed my Pod, I had enough time to learn of them and further investigate the disease."  
  
"How…?" Bulma's eyes were wide in the darkness of the room. "Is this for real?"  
  
"Of course it is, woman!" he snapped. "Why is it that everyone here thinks I am nothing but a liar? I have more honor than that."  
  
"So…what you're saying…is…"  
  
"I am going to save your pathetic human life by retrieving the cure for you." He said shortly, embarrassed that he had agreed to do it. It surprised him that his pride had allowed him to admit that he cared for another. But enough to save her life…?  
  
He took note of the hurt look on Bulma's face. "I don't know whether to be insulted…or thankful." She said coolly. "But mostly, I am surprised."  
  
"No more than I am."  
  
Again, the oppressing silence hung thick in the air. Bulma shifted in her sheets, clutching them around her body. Vegeta could not help but take note of the color of her skin; it had turned from her usual yearlong tan into a pale shade. She noticed him eyeing her and self-consciously tucked her arms back under the sheets. He looked away.  
  
"It's already taking effect." She said. "I've lost three pounds today. I haven't eaten a thing."  
  
The words struck the unwanted nerve deep within Vegeta, and he decided it was a choice time to leave. He turned and headed to the door, satisfied with his visit, but Bulma stopped him.  
  
"Wait!" she said.  
  
He stopped, but did not turn to face her.  
  
"Thank you. I know that…you do not think highly of me. So I want to thank you for doing this for me. You have no idea what it means to me, Vegeta."  
  
He swallowed, scowling, and grunted an incomprehensible reply. The door clicked softly again as he left, and Bulma sank back into her bed, unsure of what her heart was telling her. 


	3. Chapter Four: Price check on Prune Juice...

Chapter Four: Price check on Prune Juice, Bob, price check on Prune Juice.  
  
  
  
"You know…you don't have to come down here, Honey. You should be resting." Ms. Briefs said, worry evident in her voice. Bulma gave her an exasperated look. "Mom, I've been lying in bed for the last three weeks. I need to get up and move around. I'm wasting away in that damn bed."  
  
"Are you sure? There's so many stairs…"  
  
"Mom! I'm not a cancer patient! I can walk, you know. Besides, Vegeta's practically saving my life. I at least want to see the ship he'll be going to R'haksin in."  
  
"Well your father has been working on it for a while." She laughed. "Of course, any ordinary human would have taken a team of 50 and at least a couple of months to build what he's built. I swear, that man gets smarter every day." She giggled.  
  
Bulma smiled in spite of herself, and reached up to touch the still sore bruise on the back of her neck. Vegeta had avoided her like the plague ever since she'd woken up and remembered who it was that had seen her naked and sprawled less than gracefully on her ass. It hadn't done much to embarrass her, but Vegeta still remained as elusive as a shadow, with as much personality as a wet dishrag. The guy's risking his life for me, you'd think he'd want to talk about it. She thought. But, there was no point in trying to change the man. She'd tried a number of times and failed miserably. Sayajins. She muttered inwardly. Especially royal ones.  
  
They got to the bottom of the stairway, and there he stood, arms crossed over an impossibly muscled chest. Bulma shuffled up behind him while her mother went to stand beside her father. Vegeta cast a look quickly to her, said nothing, and resumed staring ahead at the spaceship.  
  
"It's a fine model." Dr. Briefs said proudly. "Everything you'll need, you'll find. I installed a number of training devices…as I thought you may want to prepare for the Storkrins."  
  
Bulma remembered; Vegeta had called the R'haksin inhabitants Storkrins. She wondered what they were like.  
  
He snorted arrogantly at her father. "I will have no problems with the Storkrins. They will remember me well. They may be excessively violent, but they are no match for myself."  
  
Bulma wondered if he was right.  
  
"Well, anyhow, you can still use it should you want to train." Dr. Briefs said quietly, and Bulma was suddenly ashamed of him. He never stood up the Prince. Everyone else she knew, even Yaumcha, stood up to Vegeta. There was no real threat involved with Vegeta now; he had changed. He was still dangerous and unpredictable, but Bulma somehow knew that he would never kill any of them. If he put up with her crap for the past long months without blowing a hole through her head, then she wasn't sure if anything could set him off.  
  
Vegeta left her side and began circling the ship, eyeing every nook and cranny with great evaluation. She watched him disappear into the ship and return at the hatch a moment later. He nodded bluntly and turned, prepared to leave the room.  
  
"Vegeta…" Bulma said, slightly annoyed. "Don't you think you should at least thank my father?"  
  
"He's doing this for your benefit. Besides, I haven't heard you thank me yet."  
  
She stared, taken aback. "I…" she searched for words. She hadn't thanked him. Heat filled her face. But that was because he had been avoiding her! She locked gazes with him again. "How could I have had a chance? You've been avoiding me at every corner!" she nearly exploded. Her parents tactfully moved to the back of the ship.  
  
"That's no excuse!"  
  
"Well, seeing me naked is no excuse for you avoiding me, either!" she yelled back, sadistically pleased with the blush that spread over his face.  
  
As usual, whenever annoyed, Vegeta said nothing in return to her.  
  
"Fine. If you're going to be like that, which I can already see you are, then I'm leaving. You can fiddle around with my father's spaceship to your hearts desire." She snapped. "Whatever."  
  
* * *  
  
1 ONE WEEK LATER  
  
Bulma glanced at the clock. 9:15 a.m. It was Wednesday, March 16. Vegeta was to leave for R'haksin tomorrow. It was strange; that this man who she thought had hated her was now leaving their planet to risk his life for a cure for her illness. She wasn't quite sure how to deal with it, even now, as the Capsule Corp. household had been a flurry of activity for the past week. And still Vegeta had not yet spoken to her since the day in her father's lab.  
  
Why is he doing this?  
  
She sighed and shuffled further under the covers, thinking the same question that had plagued her mind since the moment she had heard of his decision. Was she worried for him? How was she going to feel, while he was in space, searching for a simple plant that meant her life? Bulma sat upright with a heave, staring at the door in front of her. She wouldn't sleep she knew it, if she didn't talk to him before he left. It was absurd, anyway, not to speak to the man who was going to save your life!  
  
"That does it." Slowly she inched out of the covers and yanked a rumpled T- shirt of Yaumcha's over her head. One of the many that littered corners of her bedroom. Another thought struck her. What about Yaumcha?  
  
He still thinks we're together. He's holding onto that so strongly…he won't let go…  
  
She shrugged a pair of sweat pants on and raked a hand through her uncombed hair. Well, that's his own fault. She wasn't going to cup her hands around that tiny flicker of flame, hoping to keep it from going out. There was no point. They may have loved each other, but that time was past and over.  
  
She stepped out into the hallway and was greeted by her father, who instantly pulled her aside. "Bulma, you're finally awake." He smiled at her, the familiar black cat on his shoulder meowing in response.  
  
"It's getting harder and harder to get up in the mornings, dad." She replied and scratched the cat behind its ears.  
  
"Anyway, I need to ask you a favor. Only if you're feeling up to it." He sucked in a breath, and Bulma became wary, knowing this was going to be a request that she wasn't going to like. "Could you accompany Vegeta to the shopping mall? He needs to buy about 900$ worth of food for this trip, you know those Sayajin appetites."  
  
Bulma balked. "Why me?" she cried. The idea was insane! Vegeta? Shopping? It just didn't go together in the same sentence.  
  
"There isn't any food in this house, at least, not enough for him to even consider it being a bite. Your mother is busy preparing other things for his trip, and I'm making some final adjustments to the ship. You're the only one whose experienced enough in dealing with him, and the only one available." Dr. Briefs finished, looking hopefully to his daughter.  
  
"He hates me!" Bulma decided on. "He won't agree to it!"  
  
"When you tell him that you'll buy him whatever food he wants, he will. As proud as that man is, he's not going to pass up the opportunity for food." Her father countered.  
  
Sulking, Bulma nodded her agreement. Her father smiled. "Thanks, hon. I knew we could count on you."  
  
"Don't get mad at me when the bill racks up over a couple grand." She muttered as she stalked off.  
  
* * *  
  
  
  
"Shopping?"  
  
Bulma tried hard not to laugh at the horror in the Prince's voice. The two of them stood in the Gravity Chamber, Vegeta on the floor doing his 9 thousandth one-fingered push-up, with Bulma standing beside him trying not to gawk.  
  
She shoved her hands deep into the pockets of her sweat pants. "Yes, shopping. You're going to be in space for…how long was it?" she brushed it off before he could continue, hoping to get her point in as quickly as possible. "A long time, anyway. You're going to need a lot of food."  
  
"How do you know that?" he growled softly, sweat streaming down his face.  
  
"Because I've been Goku's best friend for 13 years!" she shot back. "And I've learned over those 13 years that there is nothing in this known universe that eats more than a Sayajin."  
  
"Hmph."  
  
"Yeah, 'hmph'." She mimicked. "But you're going to have to come with me, whether you like it or not."  
  
"Is that necessary?"  
  
"Yes!" Bulma was getting frustrated, and the Prince knew it. "For one, I don't know what the hell you like to eat, for two, I have to make sure you don't kill anybody, and three, you don't know shit about shopping!"  
  
"Then go for me!" he snarled. "I'm busy."  
  
"And I have a disease!" she nearly screamed. "Look, I hauled my tired eroding ass out of bed to take you to the god damn mall, the least you could do is come with me without a fight!"  
  
Vegeta stood abruptly, and Bulma stepped back a little as he leveled a gaze at her. "Now why would I be that nice to you?" he asked, that annoying as hell smirk playing on his features.  
  
"I don't know, Vegeta. I've been wondering why you're being so nice to me for the past two weeks."  
  
He looked away and yanked a towel off the control panel, absently swinging it around his neck. "Let's get this over with, then." He said with his usual frown.  
  
"Let's."  
  
15 minuets later, Vegeta walked up to Bulma's candy apple red Capsule Corp. Convertible and opened the door to get in. Bulma stared. "What the hell are you doing?"  
  
"What?" he cried.  
  
"You're going to go looking like that? Did you even wash your face?"  
  
"Woman, my personal hygiene is of no concern to you. I'm going on this ridiculous little outing with you, aren't I? I don't think what my hair looks like should be on your agenda of complaints."  
  
Scowling, Bulma revved the engine up and sped off toward the nearest grocery store.  
  
* * *  
  
"What the hell is that?"  
  
Bulma looked over at Vegeta, who was currently bent over staring at a glass display case containing live lobster.  
  
"It's a lobster, Vegeta." She said flatly. "Don't tell me you've never seen a lobster!"  
  
"What is the point of this 'lobster'?" he inspected the slow moving red creatures as they moved back and forth in front of the glass, raising clawed hands to tap now and then against the walls of their confinement.  
  
"You eat them!" Bulma cried, exasperated. The Seafood specialist was starting to give the Sayajin Prince odd looks. Vegeta straightened and peered over the edge of the tank into the water.  
  
"Let's go. I want to get this over with."  
  
"I want a lobster."  
  
Bulma seethed. "You've never had one, you won't know how to cook it or eat it, and you'll probably hate it anyway!"  
  
Vegeta shrugged, pulled up his sleeve, and stuck his hand into the container. Bulma shrieked as he pulled out one of the squirming lobsters and proceeded to twist its head off in one swift movement. The snapping claws hung limp. Bulma quickly apologized to the clerk, yanked hard on Vegeta's arm and pulled them away into the cereal isle.  
  
"What the FUCK did you do that for?" she screamed into his face. The isle was empty, save for a dark haired teenager with Afro busy stocking the shelves. Vegeta ignored her and cautiously sniffed the lobster's lifeless body. Quickly, he nibbled on the head. Nothing happened. He growled, tossing the poor violated creature to the floor.  
  
"You're such a jerk!"  
  
"What did you expect me to do? There was no way of eating it. What a stupid human food."  
  
"I told you that you wouldn't like it!" she stopped the cart in front of a display of Cheerios. "Look, do you want some of these?"  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Cereal. You know, you put it in a bowl and pour some milk on it? Honestly…" she shook her head. "You can be so dense."  
  
Vegeta grabbed an armload of the boxes and tossed them into the quickly overflowing cart. He looked disapprovingly at the towering mass of food and then looked at Bulma. "You can't expect me to fit all of what I'll need into one of these pathetic shopping carts." He growled.  
  
"Then you go get one!" she grabbed a can of Spaghetti O's off the shelf and tossed them in the cart. "I'll stay here."  
  
He shrugged and walked off toward the front of the store to grab a cart. Bulma sighed with relief and walked up to the Stock Boy. "Excuse me?"  
  
He turned. His nametag read: Dane O'Hara.  
  
In smaller print…'How may I help you?'  
  
He smiled. "Yeah?"  
  
"Can you show me where the Pickles are?" she noticed the instant look of disgust on his face, shook it off, and smiled. "The guy I'm with, he's very strange, but he loves pickles. By the way, I love your Afro."  
  
"Thanks. Yeah, he's definitely strange, if he likes those green son of a bitches." Dane replied. "Anyway, they're over in Isle seven."  
  
"…thanks."  
  
"Uh!" Dane replied, grabbing on his balls much like a multi-platinum rap star would.  
  
Bulma stared warily, then walked off to Isle Seven.  
  
"Wait!"  
  
She turned back to Dane. He grinned. "Say hi to Bald Midget for me!"  
  
"What?"  
  
He vanished in a puff of smoke before she could get another word in. Shaking her head, she continued toward the Isle.  
  
* * *  
  
Vegeta leaned over and dumped the armload of apples he was carrying into the cart. An overweight woman sporting pink stretch pants and a toupee smiled gently at him, revealing row upon row of hideous Billy-bob teeth. Vegeta shuddered.  
  
"You should put those apples in a bag, honey. That way they won't bruise." She put her hands on her hips and stuck out her chest, which was covered by what Vegeta assumed to be a belly shirt. Fluttering her eyelashes, she shot another hillbilly smile at him.  
  
He glared. "Don't call me honey, you fat bitch."  
  
She balked. "WHAT!?"  
  
He smirked and pushed the cart down the Isle, grabbing random fruits and vegetables and tossing them into the cart. After a moment or two, he felt a hand tapping on his shoulder. He turned, and saw the ugliest man he had ever seen staring down at him. The man must have been 6'3. He wore suspenders over a plaid shirt. He spit a wad of black tobacco too close to Vegeta's pristinely white boots. Vegeta scowled.  
  
"What the hell's your problem, buddy?" the man spit, his teeth equally as deformed and disgusting as the woman who stood behind him. It was the fat bitch from before.  
  
"Get him, Cletus!" she guffawed, slapping the man on the back.  
  
"I don't have a problem, except for the fact that you smell like pig shit." Vegeta replied calmly.  
  
"HUH?" the man growled. He clenched his fists and lunged at Vegeta.  
  
Vegeta laughed and stepped out of the way just in time to watch the mans bulk of 268 pounds crash to the floor with a resounding crash.  
  
"Cletus!" the fat bitch cried in dismay, running to his side. The man quickly recovered and lunged back at Vegeta, who slowly lifted a fist and punched the man with enough force to leave a small crater in his face. He shot backward through a display case of canned spinach and embedded himself in the frozen food section.  
  
"Somebody call an Ambulance!"  
  
Vegeta wheeled his cart around the corner without another word.  
  
* * *  
  
The pimply-faced teenager ran the can of spaghetti O's over the price check for the fourth time, registering no response. He looked over the can, turning it sideways and upside down as if it would somehow magically fix the problem. It didn't. He chewed loudly on his enormous wad of bubble gum.  
  
"I'm sorry sir," he said, blowing a large obnoxious bubble dangerously close to Vegeta's face, "but you're going to have to get another can. This one's dysfunctional."  
  
Vegeta shot the teen his very best 'I'm going to brutally disembowel you now' scowl, startling the teen into sudden terrified silence. "I don't care if it's leaking acid. Put the fucking can in the bag, you grab-ass."  
  
Bulma stepped forward just in time to save the teens life. She smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry. He has distemper."  
  
"Oh." The teen replied, not taking his eyes off the massive bulges of muscle protruding from every inch of Vegeta's body.  
  
"Anyway, you can just set that can over there. We won't buy it." She rummaged around in her purse, trying desperately to find her charge card in time. At last she produced her shiny Visa, and handed it to the teen's trembling fingers. He ran it through once, tallying up the amount. It took a good ten minuets to print the receipt. "Here you are, ma' am." The teen said. Bulma took the piece of paper and smiled. "Thank you."  
  
Vegeta pushed Bulma aside and slammed his hands down on the counter, getting at least a few good shrieks from the customers behind him. The teen threw his hands up defensively in front of his face, screaming much like a schoolgirl would. "Aren't you forgetting something?"  
  
"U-uhm…?"  
  
"You're supposed to tell us to 'have a nice day'." Vegeta said. "I should report you."  
  
"Vegeta!!"  
  
He chuckled, shooting the teen a cruel smirk. "See ya, grab-ass." Bulma hauled him off away from the counter, dragging him down the Isles toward the doors.  
  
"You're such a freak! Can't you be nice to anyone?"  
  
"No."  
  
She punched him in the shoulder before taking out her remote and unlocking the car doors. "Finally." She muttered. "It's over with." She began the tedious task of somehow cramming the massive amount of packages into the small compact car. It proved to be difficult, and once they were seated, food sat on their laps and towered nearly over their heads. Bulma craned her neck to see over the t.v dinner and out the window. She stepped on the gas.  
  
They left just in time to see the Ambulance squeal into the parking lot, sirens blaring. Bulma stared. "I wonder what happened?" she asked aloud as they turned onto the highway.  
  
Vegeta shrugged. "How would I know?"  
  
* * *  
  
Night settled quickly over the Capsule Corp. Building, where inside, a great many people rushed around in a mad attempt to get ready for the next day, when a Prince they had once fought in anger was going to save their friends life.  
  
Everyone helped, all but one, the very center of the project. Vegeta sat on the roof of the building, directly above Bulma's bedroom. He could hear her moving around inside. She'd left the window open, almost in an invitation, almost as if she somehow expected him to come in and talk to her. He couldn't help but smirk at the fact that she knew he wouldn't use the door. How strange she was…  
  
He lay back and put his hands behind his head, staring into the dark expanse of stars. Within that blanket of twinkling endlessness were hundreds of Planets that he had pillaged. Now, he was to return to one where he had been helped and assisted in his way back to Vegetasei, to gather a plant that he knew would save Bulma's life. Would the Storkrins remember him? Would they recognize the cruel, dark Prince who had killed dozens of their people? For his benefit, he hoped they would. It would make things easier, and quicker. He had no intention of staying on R'haksin for more than a couple of days at the most, and if things went smoothly and the Storkrins cooperated, he would be able to leave and return to Earth quickly, where he could resume his daily life.  
  
The air was cooling rapidly, and suddenly Vegeta didn't think it would be such a bad idea if he did go inside. After all, considering the obviousness of the window, he didn't think Bulma would be terribly surprised. Although he was surprised at himself for wanting to talk to her…everything about him was confusing these days.  
  
Bulma jumped at the sound of feet landing on her floor. She spun around and there stood Vegeta, not surprisingly. So he had taken her invitation.  
  
"I was hoping you'd come in here." She said, trying to fill the silence that engulfed them both.  
  
Silent right to the end, he only eyed her, as though by looking as deep into her eyes as he could he might somehow be able to see the answer as to why he was doing this. Bulma hoped he would; she still didn't know.  
  
"So…you're leaving tomorrow morning." She stated, sitting down on the bed. Without thinking she had left just the right amount of space for Vegeta to sit next to her. He noticed, but he didn't take that invitation. One was enough.  
  
"Yes." He replied shortly.  
  
"So then…why are you here?"  
  
"Didn't you want to talk to me?" he asked, indicating the window.  
  
"I suppose I did." She turned and faced him, pulling her legs up into a sitting position. "Tell me about R'haksin."  
  
He blinked awkwardly, completely unprepared for her question. "What do you want to know?" he tried to regain his cool composure.  
  
Bulma shrugged. "Just…what's it like?" she sighed, wistfully, he thought. "You're lucky to be able to go to space…" she stopped herself, as though catching what she had said. "I mean…I know you're going for me, and…" she stumbled over her words. "I just meant…I mean, I'm very thankful…"  
  
Vegeta smirked. "Woman, calm down."  
  
She frowned. "It's just that I've never really been anywhere terribly exciting. At least not since Goku and I were idiot kids searching for DragonBalls." She looked up at him. "Now its your turn. Now you're the one Goku fights beside, the one Goku respects." She paused. "You know, Vegeta. Goku thinks very highly of you. To think you tried to kill us all years ago, and now you're this walking powerhouse defending the Earth."  
  
Vegeta listened with genuine surprise. Bulma thought that of him? He'd always thought that she had thought of him as nothing more than a burden living with her. He noticed her watching him and shrugged.  
  
"I train to beat kakarott." He snorted. "I will." He added with clear finality. Bulma smiled, knowing well enough what to avoid saying.  
  
"I know you respect him too, Vegeta. No matter how much you try to deny it, you respect him."  
  
He didn't say anything. The silence filled the room again, so Bulma decided to get up and close the window. "So, anyway, tell me what R'haksin is like. I mean, the people." She fingered the closing latch. "Storkrins?"  
  
Vegeta crossed one foot over the other and shrugged. "They are a cruel and ruthless race. They kill anything and anyone without thinking, if that person dares defy them. However, I have no worries. They are strong, and extremely clever, but I surpass them in both those areas."  
  
Bulma knew well enough that Vegeta was strong, as he had displayed a number of times. What must truly destroy him the most about being second after Goku, was that in battle, Goku fought with good hard determination and honest power. Vegeta, however powerful, used a different approach. He used trickery and cunning. Where Goku lacked the intelligence to fool a person, or play mind games with them, Vegeta could have them wrapped around his finger within moments with his tactics of deception.  
  
"So even if the lot of them charged you all at once, you could handle yourself?"  
  
Vegeta looked at her with annoyance. "Of course, woman. The most powerful of them would only have a power rating of 8000."  
  
She nodded. "Vegeta…I want you to know how much this means to me. I know you think I hate you, but you've proven to me that you are a good person, somewhere in there." Vegeta glanced away. "It's an excuse to get away from you," He said, trying to hide his cruel smirk. "and this boring Planet."  
  
So like you, Vegeta, to pretend you don't have feelings.  
  
"Whatever." She said. "It just means a lot to me, and thank you." She met his gaze. "I never thought my savior would be you, of all people."  
  
"It's getting late." He cut the conversation short, again, avoiding the subject of him saving her. "I need to rest for tomorrow." He climbed gracefully onto the windowsill and undid the latch, stepping outside. He was gone within moments leaving Bulma alone in her bedroom. "That didn't go at all like I planned…" she mumbled. With nothing else to do, she retired to bed. 


	4. Chapter Five: I fooled all of you

1 Chapter Five: I fooled all of you  
  
  
  
Thursday, March 17th. 10:18 a.m.  
  
Goku, Krillin, Piccolo, Chi-Chi, Gohan, Dr. Briefs, Ms. Briefs, Oolong, Master Roshi, Tien, Ox King and Yaumcha all stood on the front lawn, balancing plates and cups on their laps, or between them, depending on where they were. It was sort of a 'going away' luncheon for Vegeta, who even though he was the star, sat as far away from everyone else as he could, in the shade of an Elm. It was the brainchild of the sadistically cheerful Ms. Briefs who had, for some insane reason, thought Vegeta would enjoy it. Bulma sipped at her cooler and peered over at him while Yaumcha and Puar gnawed viciously away at their hamburgers.  
  
"Ms. Briefs!" Yaumcha called out between bites. "Great hamburgers!"  
  
The woman giggled madly. "Oh, I'm so glad you're enjoying them, Yaumcha!" she continued on her way, filling up empty glasses with punch and other drinks.  
  
He leaves in a couple of hours, and we still haven't even talked…Bulma thought, as she watched Vegeta eating silently under the tree. Why does he have to be so damn anti-social?  
  
"What're you thinking about, Bulma?" Yaumcha inquired as he put his burger down. She looked back at him. "Nothing really. I think I'm going to go over to talk to Vegeta. Say goodbye, you know, that kind of thing."  
  
Yaumcha's face darkened. "I'll come with you." He stood up.  
  
"No, Yaumcha. I'd like to talk to him alone. After all, he is going for me, anyway." She added with a cool voice. He sat down glumly.  
  
She crossed the yard in good time, managing to avoid Goku and his overly concerned wife at every corner. At last she made it over to Vegeta who looked up at her with a 'you're not wanted' expression. He wore a loose fitting white shirt and black jeans, which was unusual for him. Bulma had to admit he looked great.  
  
"You look nice." She sat down beside him, staring out at the others as they laughed and joked over her mother's food. "I would have thought you'd be wearing your armor, since you're off to another Planet and all."  
  
"Humph." He finished his burger in one giant bite. "Why is what I wear important to you?"  
  
"It isn't." she said. "You still haven't told me about R'haksin."  
  
"Why are you so damn interested in it, woman? There's nothing there that would interest you. Only a barren, desolate planet filled with rapists and murderers." He wiped his hands in the grass. "Exactly my kind of company."  
  
"You know you're not like that anymore." She said quietly as she stared ahead. "You can't convince me."  
  
"Oh?" Vegeta crossed his arms and leaned against the cool bark of the tree, his face hidden in shade. "What's to stop me from killing you right now? Your weakling of a boyfriend?"  
  
"He's not my boyfriend."  
  
Vegeta automatically smirked, although inside he was surprised. They were no longer mates? How did that happen?  
  
"And anyway, you wouldn't kill me. I know you wouldn't."  
  
The defiance and courage in her eyes astounded Vegeta. In so many ways, she was so fragile. But then she always managed to surprise him. To openly defy him was one thing, to be sure about it was another. She would have made a good Sayajin.  
  
"You know, do you? Did you come over here to confirm that?" there was a strange glint in his eyes. "Are you challenging me, woman?"  
  
Bulma leaned back and stretched comfortably, as though to show him that his threats meant nothing to her. "No. I came over here to see if you were having fun."  
  
"I hate affairs such as these." He frowned. "You know that."  
  
She pulled out grass and let the wind carry it away. "Maybe so, but you like the food, don't you?"  
  
He grunted in reply. She looked over at him out of the corner of her eye. "You better have enough food on that ship to last you. I don't want you dying before you bring back my cure." She said jokingly.  
  
Vegeta shot her a dark look and she unconsciously shrank back. "Nothing will, or could, stop me, woman." He stood. "I could just cancel my plans right now, if you'd like."  
  
"It was a joke…"  
  
He scowled, and Bulma noticed Yaumcha walking up to them. She moaned and flopped back in the grass in frustration.  
  
"Is something bothering you, Bulma?" Yaumcha asked when he stopped in front of the two.  
  
"No." she said, staring up into the branches of the tree.  
  
"Why is it that every time you talk to me you're so full of courage?" Vegeta asked him. Yaumcha ignored him and kicked at Bulma's foot. She propped herself up on her elbows.  
  
"I can't say goodbye to the guy?" she snapped. "You don't have a say in what I do, not anymore, Yaumcha."  
  
He looked startled, and Vegeta chuckled to himself. "But Bulma…he…"  
  
"He's saving my life! It's more than you've ever done for me!"  
  
Yaumcha spun on his heels and stormed back to the picnic table where Puar sat with a concerned look.  
  
Bulma scratched at her nose as a floating ball of pollen drifted softly into her face. "Like I said. He's not my boyfriend anymore. I'm through with that prick."  
  
* * *  
  
She couldn't explain how the idea came to her, but it did. In this flourish of bright colors and sudden noise, it flashed in her brain like an explosion, and she suddenly and definitely knew that she had to do it.  
  
I'm going to go with him.  
  
He won't tell me about R'haksin? Fine. I'll just find out about it myself. No one can tell me no. I'm dying, anyway. If something went wrong on that ship, and Vegeta couldn't make it to the Planet, If I was there, I would have at least seen a little more to add to my memories before I wasted away.  
  
It was stupid, it was foolish, and Vegeta would probably wring her neck. But who was to tell her that it wouldn't work? Or that her life was exciting enough as it was? She had seen a lot in her days. She had fought and seen many great fights, and many amazing creatures. So why did she want to go? What was the real reason? To get away from everything?  
  
I hate this bedroom. I hate lying in this bed every day, getting weaker, staring at the wall.  
  
But there was another reason that she wanted to sneak onto that spaceship.  
  
Vegeta. He intrigues me. I want to know more about him…I want to know who he is. I want him to talk to me, to speak to me and not ignore me like he always does. I want a straight answer. I want a conversation. I want…him?  
  
She missed physical contact, and she missed romance. Yaumcha had served well enough in the first, but the latter had needed some work. She laughed aloud. What the hell was she thinking? Vegeta? Romantic? It was just another word that she wished would fit in a sentence with him, but wouldn't.  
  
He was such an enigma to her. And he wasn't bad looking, not at all. There was so much in his eyes that she wanted to know about; things that he had never told a soul. He wouldn't tell her. She was being an idiot; thinking these things. Vegeta didn't open up to anyone. Not even himself.  
  
At least you've admitted it to yourself, Bulma. At least you finally admitted that you've got a thing for him.  
  
She stood up and looked in the mirror. She slowly unbuttoned her shirt and slid off her pants. Staring at herself in only her underwear, she frowned.  
  
I'm more than attractive. Why would any man think anything else? Would…does he think of me that way? What would he do, if I showed him this? What would he say, if I told him these things?  
  
The man was saving her life. Of course, he was the only one who knew where the Planet was, and what the plant looked like. So in short, he was the only one who could be eligible to go on the mission. But still…for such a horrible bastard, it was a bigger step than she'd ever seen anyone take. He could have easily kept the information to himself and made things easier. Lacking a conscience would have made that simple. But still he told everyone, and agreed to help her situation.  
  
She sat down on the edge of her bed, clad in only her panties. It could work, though. It would give her time to know him…to force something out of his mind that he refused to show her. Of course there was the problem of the Storkrins. Vegeta had told her in detail how friendly they were. She shivered. Do I really want to be on a Planet with murderers and rapists?  
  
Vegeta wouldn't let anything happen to her. She smiled at the thought. If he was going through the trouble to save her life, he wouldn't waste his efforts on letting a bunch of mangy aliens rape her.  
  
Would he…?  
  
She looked outside. It was nearing dark, and she could see her father circling the spaceship with Vegeta while her mother was busy cleaning up Dixie cups and paper plates. I have such clean friends, she thought sourly. She watched the evening light catch on Vegetas armor, which he now wore, as he was about to leave. It glinted across his chestplate and stung her eyes. She squinted and rubbed at them. He was leaving in…she looked at the clock.  
  
One hour.  
  
Was she really going to do this?  
  
She stood up, looking at the hateful bed. Yes, I am.  
  
Hurriedly she began shoving clothes and necessities into a duffel bag, her heart hammering in her chest at the excitement. She was actually going to do this! She could get killed! Before she even got the cure! Her parents would kill her when she got back. She scrambled into the bathroom and shoved her toiletries into the bag. It was amazing. She had packed nearly everything she needed in a few short moments. She paused at the door, deciding she was going to sneak into the ship. It was huge. She could hide and Vegeta wouldn't find her until they were well into space. She paused in the deserted hallway.  
  
It had been far too long since she had been on an adventure.  
  
* * *  
  
The grass billowed and leaves whipped around in a fury as the massive ship's engine started. Vegeta had learned over the last two weeks everything there was to know about the ship, and was as accustomed to it as Dr. Briefs was. He stood at the hatch and looked up at Bulma's window out of habit. He scowled at himself. Habit?  
  
"I still can't find enough words to thank you…" Dr. Briefs was saying. "It's a shame Bulma isn't even here to say goodbye."  
  
Vegeta agreed inwardly. He was angered, and…surprised…to find that her absence had hurt him.  
  
He shrugged it off and looked to the blond woman who was hunched over crying. "You be careful!" she sobbed into her husband's shoulder. Vegeta raised an eyebrow and stepped back a pace.  
  
"Remember. If you need anything, there's a-  
  
"I know." Vegeta cut him off. "I won't have any problems. I want to get this over with." He turned to the ships door but Goku stopped him.  
  
"Vegeta! Wait!"  
  
He turned. "What, Kakarott? Make it quick."  
  
Goku grinned his Goku grin and clapped Vegeta on the shoulder, who cringed back from the touch as though he would contact some horrible illness. "Thanks, Vegeta." He looked at him with eyes full of respect. "She's my best friend, you know."  
  
"I know."  
  
"I'm counting on you."  
  
"I know!"  
  
"I wish you'd let me come…"  
  
Vegeta growled in frustration and pushed Goku back. "Shut up, Kakarott. I'll have my hands full enough. I'd die if I had to spend a week in a spaceship alone with you."  
  
Goku laughed heartily. "Have fun!" he waved as Vegeta stepped into the darkness of the ship, closing the hatch shut with a hiss of steam behind him.  
  
Alone, Vegeta looked at the giant expanse of room that he had been examining for the last two weeks and suddenly felt a different aura. An energy that he had not felt before. He frowned, but pushed the thought away as he went to seat himself in the ships pilot seat. He looked over the controls, reached for the lever, and pulled down. A loud beep sounded once, twice, and a third time as the room lit up and he felt the ship rock beneath him, lifting off from the grass. The path to R'haksin had already been planned; Vegeta had remembered it well and had programmed it into the ships data. Now, all's he had to do was sit back and wait.  
  
The aura was still there when he awoke the next morning. 


	5. Chapter Six: I came to feel alive

1 Chapter Six: I came to feel alive  
  
Bulma strained against the confinements of the tiny closet she sat in. Beneath her the ship rocked and pitched as it hurtled through space, and she was suddenly reminded of her trip to Namek. She still wore her sweat pants and T-shirt, with no attempt to look attractive. In her arms she clutched the duffel bag protectively to her. She had stuffed her Discman and a chocolate bar inside. Now, she took them out, and began to play one of her favorite tunes; Fly me to the moon, as she munched away.  
  
Vegeta still hadn't noticed her presence. It had only been about 12 hours since they had left, but one couldn't tell in space whether it was a new day or not unless you kept track. She was beginning to get so accustomed to the darkness of the closet that she could make out a number of objects inside. To her left was a stack of magazines. Vegeta, reading magazines? She made a mental note to search through them for porn later. Even Sayajins enjoyed naked women. Didn't they?  
  
Beside the magazines there was a neatly folded stack of different colored bodysuits for Vegeta. Of course, she assumed all of them to be blue or black, as he never wore anything else. She looked down into her lap, suddenly conscious of the feeling of dread in her stomach. Had this really been a good idea, after all? What would he do when he found her?  
  
She yanked the earphones out and listened for any signs of movement. She could hear him shuffling about, eating by the sounds of it. It made her think of their shopping trip, and how he had (conveniently) told her later about the true cause for the Ambulance.  
  
For some reason she became edgy. It was odd…too odd, that Vegeta had not yet discovered her. He had senses sharper than most things alive. How was it that he had not yet smelled her or heard her moving about?  
  
Perhaps…he was waiting for her. Making a mockery of her. If he was, then he wasn't angry.  
  
And then suddenly, so suddenly that Bulma nearly fainted, the closet door was roughly opened and Vegeta stood staring down at her as she clenched the Discman tightly in her hands.  
  
"Uhm…"  
  
Vegeta ignored her as though he hadn't even seen her, and reached beside her to grab one of the bodysuits. "Well?" he asked when he'd straightened. "Aren't you going to get out?"  
  
Bulma didn't know what to say or do. He shrugged, and closed the door. "Suit yourself." He mumbled as she heard him walk away.  
  
Enraged that she had been ignored and treated in such a casual manner, Bulma burst out of the closet and stalked over to the Prince, who was busy pushing a number of buttons on the control panel.  
  
"Hey!" she stepped beside him and got right up in his face. "You can't ignore me like that!"  
  
"I knew you were here. I could smell you, the second I got onboard to take off." He said, annoyed. "You're quite obvious." He added.  
  
"So you don't even care that I'm here?" she cried, incredulous.  
  
"Why are you making such a big fuss?" he asked. "You're so spoiled, you can't stand it when you're ignored, can you? Was your whole point in sneaking in here to make some grand entrance and absolutely astound me?"  
  
Bulma was struck speechless. "No…" she said, trying to remember why she had even come. Since it didn't seem to be such a big deal, she decided that looking around seemed to be a good idea. Vegeta watched her as she poked and peered about, examining her father's handiwork.  
  
"Why did you come, anyway?" he called after a minuet. She paused by the window putting both hands on the glass as she stared out at the blackness. "If something happens on this trip…and you somehow don't get the plant, I want to have at least had an adventure before I died." She said quietly. "I didn't want to stay back there and waste away in a bed."  
  
Vegeta looked back to the control panel. "Nothing will happen." He paused. "Although, by coming with me, you've made this mission considerably harder than it should be. Now I have to divide the food between you and I, meaning I will have to eat much less and conserve more energy. I also have to protect you against the disgusting scum that will see you and instantly attempt to slaughter you."  
  
Bulma blushed. "I…I'm sorry. You just have no idea how this disease makes me feel. I feel trapped…useless. My body always feels numb and weak."  
  
"So you came on a dangerous mission to a hostile Planet to cure that?"  
  
"No." she said. "I came to feel alive."  
  
* * *  
  
"I don't remember buying this." Bulma said as they sat down to eat a T.V dinner consisting of turkey, corn, mashed potatoes and a strange red substance in the middle. She poked at it with her fork and grimaced. "Is this stuff even real?"  
  
"If you're not going to eat it, then give it to me!" Vegeta snapped. "I'm starving; sharing all this food with you." He said bitterly. "Why can't you be like a normal woman and eat tiny dainty meals?"  
  
Bulma glared and pushed herself away from the table. "Because I happen to be dying, and when one is dying, I've discovered that they become ravenously hungry." She stood up and angrily shoved the food toward him. "Fine! I'll be more like a 'dainty' woman; I'll starve myself! Enjoy it, you greedy bastard."  
  
Vegeta lowered his head into his food and ignored her. Again.  
  
* * *  
  
He's such an asshole! How does he know how I feel? He doesn't, he's uncaring and heartless. I should have known better than to think I could have been civil with him.  
  
Bulma looked at her reflection in the mirror and splashed water on her face, as though hoping it would wash away everything she hated seeing in herself. It didn't, of course. She plopped her make-up bag on the counter and began searching through it for her mascara.  
  
"Stupid jerk…see how he feels when I weigh in at 5o pounds…" she muttered, knowing full well she wouldn't starve herself. Thinking of his remark, she was suddenly conscious of her weight, and felt compelled to examine herself once more in her underwear. She pulled her shirt over her head, thinking evil thoughts about Vegeta as she did, and turned to look in the mirror.  
  
She screamed.  
  
Vegeta bolted from the table to the bathroom door, knocking hard on it. "Woman? What the hell's going on in there?"  
  
Bulma stared at the 3 dollar sized black dots that covered her collarbone. Her trembling fingers reached up to touch them, and she yanked them away when they did, as though they had been burned. The dots were searing hot.  
  
"Vegeta…?" she whispered, unable to take her eyes from them. Rising panic bubbled up in her throat.  
  
"Woman, let me in!" Vegeta rattled the doorknob. Without looking away, Bulma opened the door and allowed the Prince in. He took one quick look and his eyes widened.  
  
"Forae." He said quietly. "Quick. Come out to the kitchen. Hurry!"  
  
Bulma snapped out of her trance and followed him, completely forgetting her lack of pants and a shirt. She entered the kitchen where Vegeta was already approaching her with a damp cloth. "Here. Press this against them." he said. "Water prevents them from spreading."  
  
"Spreading?" she cried.  
  
Vegeta applied his own cloth to the other two dots and pressed firmly. He could see the fright in Bulma's eyes and tried to avoid looking in them. "The dots are a symptom of Fortricres." He said. "They're called Forae. Fortricres heats up the blood cells and cause the dots to appear; they're a reaction of the blood cells trying to cool down."  
  
"The water is a simple remedy." He looked at her. "You need an ice cold bath, woman."  
  
"Ice cold? That can't be good for me!"  
  
"If you don't cool your body down, the Forae will spread, and you'll become overheated." He explained calmly. Bulma frowned quizzically. "How do you know so much about this disease?"  
  
"I spent a lot of time on R'haksin." He said. "Now come on. You need to get in the bath."  
  
* * *  
  
Bulma sat rigid in the middle of the bathtub, her knees drawn close to her body. She was shivering violently but her body still felt warm. It was such a strange thing. She held up the tiny hand mirror and looked at the Forae. Two had vanished, leaving one that was diminishing slowly.  
  
What else was Vegeta avoiding telling her about Fortricres? He had said this was a symptom. How many more were there? What if something terrible was going to happen to her? She hated this disease, but mostly, she hated that she knew nothing of it. She had no idea what to anticipate. And the only person who did talked to her about as much as her socks did.  
  
Vegeta was waiting outside the door, slumped over in a chair. He kept calling to her every three or four minuets, checking to see if the Forae were gone.  
  
"How about now?" he called. His voice was muffled through the door.  
  
"It's going away…" Bulma sucked in a shaky breath. "…slowly…"  
  
"Woman?"  
  
She snapped her head up quickly, a pain shooting in her neck. Had she drifted off for a second? How could she, if she was so very cold? But she wasn't really cold…she was shivering, and she could feel the icy sting of the water on her skin, but inside she felt like lava.  
  
"…Vegeta…?" she called weakly. "I'm…" her head wobbled once more, and she slumped down in the bathtub, suddenly fighting to keep above the water. Her hands clutched uselessly at the sides of the tub, slipping off as though they were coated with grease. She was going to drown, and she couldn't do anything about it! She heard the door rattling fiercely before it crashed down in front of her. Vegeta's arms reached down and scooped her limp body out of the water, seconds before she had submerged. Her mind went blank.  
  
* * *  
  
You really have made this difficult for me…  
  
Vegeta wondered why he felt such pain when he looked down at Bulma. In her current state, with her pale skin and shivering form, with wet hair plastered to her head and clenched fists, he felt so utterly sad for her. When she tossed and moaned aloud something struck a raw nerve inside him and refused to be pushed away and ignored. All his life he had been so good at ignoring things. He couldn't ignore Bulma. Not now.  
  
He remembered looking at her body the first few months that he had begun living with her. She had filled out everything she wore so nicely. Now…she seemed to be shrinking. Vegeta knew what would happen. First was the Forae. Next, the severe weight loss. The last thing to go was the mind; when one lost all comprehension of who they were. He found himself praying that she would not reach that stage. The Doctors had predicted seven months, but the symptoms were rapidly approaching.  
  
He had lowered her gently into the bed, taking care to toss a blanket over her form. In her agitated sleep, she had rolled over so many times that the blanket was now wrapped around her feet in a giant tangled ball. Vegeta had given up trying to untangle it. She was soaked with sweat as it was. He applied a fresh wash cloth to her forehead and neck; the last of the Forae was nearly gone, and settled down comfortably next to her. Within minuets he was asleep. 


	6. Chapter Three: Preparations

Chapter Three: Preparations.  
  
Dr.Briefs stared ahead of himself at the hulking mass of machinery and wires that he was about to transform into a spaceship. His weathered hands clasped behind his back as he paced back and forth, unsure of where to start, unsure of what exactly to do. His daughter's life depended on the safety and reliability of this spaceship; there could be no mistakes.  
  
"Hon?"  
  
He turned and saw his wife standing at the doorway. For a moment neither said a word as they both peered at the spaceship. Then she walked over to him with a tray of coffee and biscuits.  
  
"You can't work all day without eating something, you know." She said quietly. "They're your favorites…"  
  
"Why do you think he's doing it?"  
  
Ms.Briefs lapsed into silence. She knew what he meant. They, along with everyone else, was thinking the exact same thing; why was coldhearted, self centered Vegeta going to risk his life to save a girl he claims he hates?  
  
"I don't know…if I trust him." Dr.Briefs decided on at last. "It just seems so insane. It's so far beyond anything he'd ever do…I don't know…"  
  
Ms.Briefs fussed over the tray, at last putting it down on the counter beside them. She knew exactly what she thought; Vegeta was at last going to prove to the rest of them what she already knew; he was a good person. Be he ex-mass murderer or not. If he was willing to go into space to save her baby, then, by Kami, she was going to trust him with every fiber in her body.  
  
"Let him."  
  
"I never said I wouldn't! Besides, could I even try?"  
  
She smiled. "I suppose what I mean is, trust him. I see good in him that no one else does. We need to give him a chance."  
  
"I hope you're right."  
  
* * *  
  
Chi-Chi gave her friend an encouraging smile as she helped pull her into a sitting position. It was 8:47 a.m., and Bulma had finally summoned enough strength to get out of bed. Outside, in the hallway, Goku and Yaumcha sat impatiently, knocking on the door every five seconds.  
  
"Heya Bulma!" Goku stuck his head in the door, oblivious to his best friend's nearly complete state of undress. "Are you ok?"  
  
"Close the door, Goku! Show some tact." Chi-Chi laughed and looked back to Bulma after Goku had closed the door once again with a sad puppy face. "I don't think I've ever seen him so agitated, Bulma. He really loves you."  
  
Bulma gave Chi-Chi something between and smile and a grimace. "I know…" she grunted as she forced herself to stand, nearly sweating with the effort. "And he knows I love him to. Little bugger…can you pass me my bathrobe? Kami, I can't get over how tough it is to get out of bed in the morning. It feels like I've ran a marathon."  
  
Chi-Chi reached over and handed Bulma the royal blue housecoat, slipping it around her shoulders. "You'll feel better once you're in the shower." She said softly, trying not to let her sadness show through her eyes. "Will you be ok in there?"  
  
"Yeah." Bulma replied, shuffling past the bed and into the extended bathroom. "It's a nice day. I think I'll sit in the sun for a while…can't hurt me anymore than I've already been hurt." She said bitterly.  
  
"Bulma…"  
  
"Hey," Bulma forced a smile for her friend. "Thanks. I'll be fine, really. I'll meet you guys at breakfast. Ok?"  
  
Chi-Chi was smart enough to know when someone wanted to be alone. "I'll keep Goku posted, in case you have a problem." She grinned maliciously. "It isn't like he's never seen you naked before."  
  
"You're so funny, Chi-Chi." Bulma said sourly, thinking of their long ago DragonBall adventures. She waved a hand at Chi-Chi, urging her out. "Keep Yaumcha there instead. And make me something good, won't you? Something hot."  
  
"I will." Chi-Chi assured her, and quietly left the room. Bulma sighed, thankful for her friend's help, but also glad to be alone. Stepping into the shower stall she switched the hot water on and discarded of her robe, stepping into the spray. She hissed as the water hit her body but quickly succumbed to the peacefulness of its solitude. For just a few minuets, she wanted to be alone. Alone with her thoughts before she had to go downstairs and face reality again.  
  
The reality that she was dying.  
  
* * *  
  
At the breakfast table, Goku and Vegeta sat together, both ramming huge amounts of pancakes down their throats quicker than Chi-Chi could make them. The only time you could get the two to sit together was when the promise of food was made. Chi-Chi frowned in dismay as her husband finished his ninth helping and turned to her with his 'how about some more?' expression.  
  
1.1.1 Hurry up Bulma…  
  
"Look, Goku, there isn't enough batter for any more." Chi-Chi sighed, plopping down in her chair on his left. "Besides, I'm tired, and I still have to make Bulma some bacon and eggs."  
  
The mention of Bulma caused the flicker of unease to cross the Sayajin Prince's face. Hurriedly he finished his last pancake and pushed himself away from the table, kicking his feet up. Goku looked over at him, running a hand through his unruly hair.  
  
"So you're really going to go to R'haksin?" he asked, the boyish curiosity plan on his features. Vegeta looked away. "I am." He snarled. "Could we leave it at that?"  
  
"We're all so thankful for this, Vegeta." Chi-Chi said, ignoring his anger. "You can't imagine how much."  
  
Vegeta said nothing, continuing to stare into the distance.  
  
"Bulma's dad is down in the lab, working on your spaceship." Chi-Chi ventured, determined to get more out of him.  
  
"I wonder if it's going to be anything like the one I took to Namek?" Goku wondered absently, alone in his own little world where intelligence was few and far between.  
  
Vegeta stood. "I suppose I'll go and make an evaluation of my own, Kakarott." Without another word, he left the kitchen, his plate and fork on the table.  
  
* * *  
  
Annoyed, Vegeta stormed back and forth in the hallway landing yards from where Yaumcha sat against Bulma's door, waiting for her to come out and surrender to the day. Thoughts, questions and doubts stormed inside his head, unrelenting, unsolved. He winced with the effort and the strain of his biggest question.  
  
Why?  
  
He still did not know. Was he cheating himself? Did he honestly want to save this girl's life? He would be wasting precious time, and risking ruining a perfectly rotten reputation. He would be denying himself his pride, which was all he had left of himself. With a cry he slammed a fist against the wall, startling Bulma inside her shower, unbeknownst to him.  
  
He had told everyone he was going. The decision had been made and announced. Made perfectly clear to all whom counted on him now. Did he still have the cruelty in him to tell them he had changed his mind?  
  
He knew the answer. No.  
  
Once, long ago, he had been able to brutally murder countless numbers of people, diminishing their races to a handful. But somehow, his time on Earth had changed him from the once cruel and heartless murderer that he had been and had softened him into a somewhat civil being. He still could not decide if that angered him, or if he was in some way grateful.  
  
A thump behind him startled him from his thoughts. Turning, he saw Gohan timidly stepping past him, apparently trying to get to something that Vegeta stood near.  
  
Feh. Kakarotts son. Vegeta thought, calculating him. Why does he have to show up now of all times?  
  
"Hi Vegeta…" he said, his voice barely perceptible. "I'm just getting my jacket…" he looked past Vegeta at the closet in which he stood in front of. Scowling, Vegeta moved out of the way. He watched as the tiny but powerful Sayajin half-breed shrugged his jacket on, obviously because of his insane mother's orders, and felt a sudden impulse to speak to him.  
  
"Gohan?" Vegeta asked. Gohan turned to him with wide eyes, apparently quite shocked that he was being spoken to by the high and mighty Prince.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Do you know what I'm doing for Bulma?" he asked gruffly, avoiding the child's strangely mature eyes.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Do…" he struggled, hesitant to trust the child's innocent judgement. "Do you think I'm doing the right thing?"  
  
A moment passed before Gohan cleared his throat and replied; "Of course you are, Vegeta." He brushed past him quietly, doing up the zipper on the front of his coat. Vegeta watched him go, feeling a strange sense of calm.  
  
What is happening to me?  
  
* * *  
  
Outside in the hallway, Yaumcha heard the familiar spray of water stop. Bulma was done her shower. He stood and opened the door walking into her room. If she needed help with anything at all, he was going to help her. Halting outside the bathroom door he could not deny the heavy sense of dread that swelled in his breast. What if she didn't want his help? What if…she hated him?  
  
He pushed the thought aside. She wouldn't hate him. "Bulma?" he ventured quietly. He knocked once on the door. Inside, Bulma jumped, startled at the sudden noise and nearly slipped and fell on the wet linoleum floor. She steadied herself with one hand and opened the door with the other, hastily wrapping a towel around herself.  
  
"Yaumcha?"  
  
He looked back at her sheepishly. "I thought you might need help."  
  
Bulma's cheek flushed red and she secured the towel tighter. "No…I don't. Thank you."  
  
He stared. "Are you sure? I could get you some clothes, or help you do your hair…or…"  
  
"My hair?" Bulma raised an eyebrow. "Yaumcha, you can't butter toast." She paused, sensing it. "What's wrong?" she sighed.  
  
"I feel like you hate me…"  
  
"Well, I don't mean to sound terribly cruel, but I sort of do, Yaumcha. You hurt me."  
  
"I know…I…" he leaned against the doorframe, ignoring her dripping wet hair, disheveled from the showers spray. He looked so desperately helpless. "This whole situation just has me totally fried, Bulma." He said, raising piteous eyes to hers. "I'm so scared for you…"  
  
Don't be so harsh on him, Bulma. You don't know that he's lying. He could still care for you, even if he cheated on you…or…maybe…  
  
She lifted her head sharply. "Did you come in here just so you could see me naked?" she demanded. He blinked, shocked at her accusation. "No!" he cried, defending his morality. "I came in here because I thought you might need help! Chi-Chi was allowed, why aren't I?" he felt his temper rising. "If anybody's seen you naked, Bulma, I have! I thought I would be the best person to help you in that case."  
  
"Maybe before, Yaumcha. It's different now." Bulma said coldly. She pushed past him into the bedroom. "Thank you for your concern, but I can get dressed and ready by myself."  
  
"Bulma…" Yaumcha pleaded. With her back to him she halted in her tracks, hearing the familiar tone in his voice that she had loved to hear so many times before. "Bulma, I still love you. You can't deny me that." He paused. "And I would have gone to that planet for you in a second…if I would have known the plant…"  
  
Don't listen to him. How many times has he done this to you? Told you he's loved you, and then gone off with some ditzy blond? Don't let him get away with it this time, Bulma…  
  
Angry now, she spun on him. "I don't need your sympathy, Yaumcha!" she cried. "Get out!"  
  
"Bulma, please…I-  
  
"GET OUT!" she yelled, her throat hoarse. He stood for a moment, undecided as to what he should do. Then, dejectedly, he turned from her bed and left the room, closing the door a little more forcefully than the last time. Bulma slumped down onto her bed and began the exhausting effort of fighting back her tears.  
  
It did not work for long.  
  
* * *  
  
It was an hour later when Bulma forced herself to sit up. Her hair had dried on her pillow, creating a frizzy style that made her look not unlike the bride of Frankenstein. "I look like shit…" he moaned with dismay when she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. "I have to get downstairs…Chi-Chi must be getting pissed by now."  
  
With a supreme effort she pushed herself off the bed and walked back toward the bathroom. After a moment or two of splashing generous amounts of water into her hair to calm it down, she tied it back in a quick ponytail. Smearing some lipstick on, she made a last inspection of herself before turning quickly on her heels to get some clothes. A little too quickly, she realized too late, as her feet slipped right from under her and she felt herself falling backwards into the bathtub. She hit the side of the porcelain tub with a loud smack, feeling a jolt of pain shoot up her shoulderblades. The startling pain found a spot it liked in her neck and settled there, creating a sharp ache in the back of her skull. Black dots danced in front of her eyes, and she fought to stay conscious. "Chi-Chi!!" she cried, the level of her voice making her ears ring. "Yaumcha!!" her voice was weak.  
  
No answer. Bulma began to panic, wondering how long exactly she would be laying here without any assistance. Somebody would have to come, surely. She struggled to regain her footing, but her feet slid uselessly across the damp floor in front of her, unable to get any traction. She began to cry again, feeling a river of tears pour out of her already puffy, swollen eyes.  
  
Her situation did not go unnoticed by all; however, as Vegeta had heard the loud thump as he had passed down the hallway a moment before. Bulma heard the familiar click of her bedroom door open, and would have called out to whoever it was, but could not fight the oncoming blackness any further. The last thing she saw before her head slumped to the side and she passed out was the familiar dark form of Vegeta as he entered her bathroom, a look of complete shock and embarrassment on his face.  
  
"B…Bulma?"  
  
No answer.  
  
For a moment, Vegeta merely stood there, not knowing what to do, wondering if he should run and grab the weakling boyfriend. But Bulma was obviously in physical danger; falling right on her ass probably wasn't the best thing to happen to somebody infected with Fortricres. He moved quickly toward her, careful not to slip on the same patch of water that she had. He wondered how bad the extent of her injuries were; moving her head was going to be a problem. Vegeta slowly slipped one arm under her legs and gingerly tucked the other behind her neck, bringing her away from the tub with excruciating slowness.  
  
Vegeta carried her out of the bathroom and set her down on her bed, trying hard to ignore her perfectly pert breasts that rubbed against his chest with strained nipples. He looked around for something to cover her with, found the bathrobe, and wrapped it around her.  
  
Satisfied, he turned to carry her downstairs for help, as he had no way of knowing how to help her. He looked down at her face and sighed. You're more trouble than you're worth, woman.  
  
"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE!?"  
  
Vegeta spun with Bulma in his arms at the sound of Yaumcha's voice, who stood in the doorway, Goku and Chi-Chi behind him.  
  
"S…she slipped!" he roared, hearing well the accusation in Yaumcha's voice. "Since no one else seemed to care, I thought I'd help her!"  
  
"Like hell she slipped! What did you do, drug her?" Yaumcha cried.  
  
"I didn't do anything, you asshole!" Vegeta's voice was laced with the dangerous anger that Goku knew well enough, as he had learned over the years how to anticipate when Vegeta was close to killing somebody.  
  
"Yaumcha…" Goku pushed past the stuttering warrior and walked over to Vegeta. He looked down at Bulma and back up at the enraged Vegeta. "We all appreciate you helping her. " He paused and waited for Vegeta to cool down. It took a few moments, but Vegeta finally obliged with a snarl and slowly handed Bulma's frail form into Goku's arms.  
  
It's a good thing you're the only one I respect around here, Kakarott…  
  
"I heard a thump and investigated." He said, scowling. "She'd slipped and hit the side of the bathtub. There's a bump…" he moved and pointed to the back of her neck. "I didn't know how serious it was. I was heading downstairs when…" he shot a deadly glare at Yaumcha, whose face was still red with anger.  
  
"Thank you for helping her, Vegeta." Chi-Chi said as she approached Goku's side. "You seem to be doing more than your share of kindness for Bulma, lately." She smiled, and Vegeta privately reveled in the horrified look on Yaumcha's face.  
  
"I'm sure she'll be all right." Chi-Chi added. "Goku, let's get her downstairs. It looks like an ordinary bump, nothing too serious."  
  
Without waiting for them to make their move Vegeta stalked past them, taking extra care to shove Yaumcha roughly into the side of the door as he squeezed past.  
  
"Watch it!" Yaumcha growled. Vegeta halted, lifting his head to stare into the much taller man's eyes. The look was enough to make anyone wet their pants, and Yaumcha slowly edged out of the Prince's way to allow him his passage.  
  
"You watch it." He hissed, storming off down the hallway. 


	7. Chapter Seven: Unwanted female

1 Chapter Seven: Unwanted Female  
  
They were here.  
  
It had taken six days of being alone on a Capsule ship with Vegeta before they had finally landed on R'haksin. The Planet itself was rather small and, as Vegeta had explained, cramped. Most of everything Bulma first laid eyes on was either red or black, and the earth itself beneath them was a strange rock-like soil. It crumbled like dry clay beneath the massive ship.  
  
She supposed it was not as bad as she had thought it to be, although, they had yet to be greeted by the Storkrins. Now they stood on the platform that loomed over the strange alien soil and looked out over the vast impenetrable darkness. For a good few moments neither said a thing as they both stood as though alone, thinking their own private thoughts. Then suddenly Vegeta picked up a strange noise and pushed Bulma back with his arm. He glared.  
  
"Get behind me." Vegeta said as he backed her up against the ships door. She obliged, wanting no chance to tangle with the hideous malformations that she imagined lurking in the shadows.  
  
The Storkrins proved to be far from what she had imagined.  
  
"They come." Vegeta's voice was a low murmur.  
  
They slunk low to the ground as they cautiously edged from the cover of the shadows and into the dim light of the ship. The first thing Bulma noticed was that under the thick, armored eyebrows, their small red eyes watched them with a stunning intelligence.  
  
Each stood upright like a man, but walked very low to the ground, their spines sloping downward to give them a U shaped look. They walked with a slow and powerful gate, shuffling sideways, much like a Dinosaur. They had massive thighs and calves corded with rippling muscle and the legs ended in giant sized human feet, with thick soles and slightly clawed toes. Each wore a hooded cloak. All that could be seen from the depths of the hoods were the thin slits of red eyes and a rounded snout. Crooked arms hung from the sleeves of the cloaks and dangled close to the ground, ending in gnarled claws. Bulma made the connection; these were Lizard creatures. Thick tails lashed out behind them, spraying the strange soil and dust in every direction. It was an agitated movement.  
  
The first stepped forward to Vegeta; its head cocked slightly to the side as it examined him. She noticed that none held weapons. This made her uneasy; as though they had absolutely no fear of them at all. Hadn't Vegeta said that they were frightened of him?  
  
"Prince?" the creature asked. Its voice was low and powerful, the noise guttural and rumbling. She assumed it to be a male by its voice and size. It surprised her that they spoke English.  
  
"Treskor." Vegeta nodded in reply.  
  
"Why do you come? Who isss the human?" the creature, Treskors, voice changed somehow. Bulma noticed a sudden menacing tone.  
  
"She is Bulma Briefs. And she is under my care." Vegetas eyes swept the crowd. "None shall touch her."  
  
Another Storkrin stepped forward, emboldened by his leaders fearlessness. "Why doesss the Prince ssstil live? Wasss Vegetasssei not dessstroyed?"  
  
Vegeta shot him a dark look, and the Storkrin backed up a pace. "Yes. It was destroyed, though not by a meteorite as many of you neighboring planets were told. Freiza took it upon himself to destroy it, fortunately while I was away. Us Sayajins were becoming a threat." He smirked without humor.  
  
A surprised murmur rose in the crowd. Storkrins began stepping forward to join their comrade, their beady eyes searching, calculating, and examining. Bulma felt utterly naked under their gaze.  
  
"What isss the Prince doing with the Earthling?" the Storkrin asked. "I sssense sssomething in her…"  
  
As if suddenly making the connection, Treskor growled and clenched his hands, shuffling closer to Vegeta, his eyes following Bulma's. "Ssshe hasss the sssicknesss." He hissed loudly. "Take her away." The other Storkrins cried out in dismay, shrinking back from the terrible illness that had befallen their people, nearly diminishing them to a handful. Bulma was surprised to see such pure terror in their eyes; Fortricres must be far more terrible than she imagined. It made her stomach lurch with the thought that she was infected with it.  
  
"I brought her here because of the sickness." Vegeta's voice was just as loud and firm.  
  
Treskor advanced quickly, lashing his tail about. "We want none of it. Leave usss!"  
  
Vegeta's eyes turned hard. "No. We will remain here, until a Psytrim Osis can be obtained. I live with this woman now, and I will cure her sickness."  
  
Treskor hissed, brining his hood back with his claws. His face could have been described as human, but had evolved over time into definite Lizard features. His skin was hard and red, and his nostrils and eyebrows were armored and heavy. He exhaled loudly into the air, and for the first time Bulma realized that she could easily breath the air. It too seemed all together too lucky.  
  
"Then you have come at the wrong ssseason, Prince. We have yet a month of your Earth time until the Psytrim growsss."  
  
Bulma gasped. Vegeta turned to her. "Don't." he frowned. "It's only a minor setback. We'll just have to stay here a bit longer than I thought."  
  
Instantly a million thoughts raced through Bulmas mind. A month? Here? With these creatures? With their limited supplies? What would everyone back home be thinking? Perhaps they thought she had been kidnapped…raped…killed? Bulma felt a tiny sob in her throat. She was so stupid to think this would work! So stupid!!  
  
Vegeta sensed her thoughts and stepped off the Capsule ship's ramp. The Storkrins scattered quickly. "You will work with me, and you will listen to what I have to say." He stepped up to the massive Treskor and eyed him with harsh intent. "I will make an example of anyone who touches or harms this earthling female. I will disembowel you and scatter your innards across this galaxy, mark my words." Ebony eyes washed over the hissing crowd. "You will allow us to stay on R'haksin until the Pystrim grows. You will provide us with whatever we will need without argument. When the Pystrim is obtained, we shall leave. Not before. Is that understood?"  
  
"You are being harsssh, Prince Vegeta." Treskor spread his clawed hands wide. "Would I refussse you?" the red lips curled into a half-grin devoid of humor, but full of cruel sarcasm.  
  
Bulma did not miss the obvious challenge in the giant Lizard-man's voice, and was suddenly expecting Vegeta to fire a good-sized hole through his chest. Apparently by the sounds of the other Storkrins they thought so, as well.  
  
Vegeta smirked back. "You and I both know you would not. We all remember well what I did to those who did all those years ago."  
  
Treskor drew back with a snarl. "There are not many placesss you can ssstay, Prince." His tiny eyes switched back to Bulma. "The dungeonsss, perhapsss?"  
  
It released a bit of the tension. A number of the Storkrins laughed, but Vegeta remained rock hard in his demeanor. "We will be fine in our ship." He said coldly. "Anyone of you who dares enter this ship at any time will be killed." He turned his heavily muscled back to them and looked at Bulma.  
  
"Come on," he said, "We both need to rest."  
  
Bulma said nothing and followed suit. The ships door closed with a hiss of steam, shutting out the prying eyes of the Storkrins.  
  
* * *  
  
They consumed a meal of sandwiches. Bulma hardly touched hers, and noticed that Vegeta was doing the same. He had only eaten nine, as opposed to his usual seventeen or so. She wiped her mouth with her napkin and looked suspiciously at him.  
  
"Why aren't you eating?"  
  
He swallowed and put both elbows on the table. "I was about to ask you the same question."  
  
"I asked you first."  
  
He shot her a glare. "If you must know, I'm saving the better half for you." He paused. "I don't want you to die on me so that this whole trip was for nothing."  
  
"Thanks." Bulma said flatly, although she knew exactly how huge a favor the Prince was doing her. It was so unlike him to put aside his usual selfishness for her personal well being.  
  
He finished and pushed away from the table. "Go to sleep." He ordered. "You need to."  
  
Bulma tried to hide the fear in her eyes. Sleep. She hadn't considered it yet. The small lights that hung above their heads while they ate were so comforting. They drove away the terror of the Lizard beasts outside. Vegeta caught her look.  
  
"What?" he asked, annoyed.  
  
"I just…I guess I'm not looking forward to sleeping." She said quietly. "Those Storkrins are horrible…" she trailed off and looked at him. "Did you see the way they all looked at me?"  
  
"That's because ninety percent of their females are either dead or rotting away in diseased infested Dungeons." He smirked cruelly. "They'd love to get a hold of you."  
  
Bulma started, horrified. "What?"  
  
He stopped smirking. "You know I won't let anything happen to you. None of them are stupid enough to come in here. They wouldn't dare."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"They know what I'm capable of."  
  
His usual confidence wasn't reassuring her this time. "But…I'm all the way downstairs. What if one of them gets in somehow, and I'm defenseless because of the Fortricres, and-  
  
"Woman!" he cut her off sharply. "Shut up! With my Sayajins senses, nothing could get by me unnoticed. Now go to sleep, and stop worrying about stupid things." He paused and softened his voice considerably. "Have some faith in me."  
  
Bulma got up and shot him her own scowl. "It's not a stupid thing to worry about, Vegeta." She countered, and stalked out of the room. She turned before she exited through the doorway.  
  
"I have faith." She said quietly. "But I have much more fear."  
  
* * *  
  
The ship was cold and the sheets did not do much to block it out. Bulma shivered beneath them and stared at the wall, her eyes transfixed, as if she were waiting for some giant Lizard man to crash through the concrete and devour her-  
  
She squeezed her eyes shut. This wasn't doing her any good. She lifted the covers and stared down at her body. Wearing only a blue tank top she inwardly cursed herself for not bringing more suitable clothing. But it had been such a split second decision to come anyway. It wasn't as though she had had time to make a list.  
  
Bulma clenched the sheets up to her chin. Upstairs she imagined Vegeta sprawled out over the bed snoring like some mountainous ogre. He could sleep fine. He had enough strength to lift a couple of busses. So why should he feel afraid of the Storkrins when he knew he could easily fend for himself? Would he rescue her, if one of them burst in and tried to rape her mercilessly?  
  
She felt nauseous that she didn't know the answer.  
  
* * *  
  
Bulma paused at the edge of Vegeta's bed, which she noted with a hint of jealousy, was far larger than her own downstairs. Holding her glass of water in her right hand she was content to stand and examine him while she drank. Surprisingly, he was not sprawled out mountainously. Nor was he snoring like an ogre. In fact, he was tucked in neatly inside the sheets, breathing deeply and softly. She cocked her head to the side. He looks so peaceful…  
  
She chuckled inwardly when she remembered him boasting of his sharp Sayajin senses. Why was it that he had not awakened now, while she stood here in front of him, slurping loudly at her drink?  
  
Half expecting him to kick his leg out like a dog and whimper Bulma could not hold in her laugh. She pursed her lips in an attempt but was unsuccessful and doubled over guffawing at the mental image that had suddenly formed in her mind.  
  
Vegeta bolted upright and had a hand wrapped around her neck before she could even blink. She gurgled and tried to keep her water from tipping as she stood unbalanced and looking quite ungraceful while the Prince held her in a death grip. He released her with a glare and leaned back, the sheets dangerously low on his abdomen. Bulma righted herself and took a moment to regain some dignity.  
  
He spoke. "What the hell are you doing, woman?"  
  
Bulma cleared her throat uncomfortably and shrugged. "Nothing! I came to get a drink and I decided to see if you were awake…" she trailed off, knowing full well she sounded like a complete dork.  
  
"Why would I be?"  
  
"I…don't know!" she sputtered, trying to avert her eyes from the delicious view of his tanned midsection and the dark trail of hair that-  
  
She saw his smirk and blushed deeply.  
  
"What!?" she cried. "Could you at least cover that up! Kami!" she turned from him. "Don't you Sayajins ever get embarrassed!?"  
  
"No." he replied calmly. "Does that bother you?"  
  
She bristled. "Yes!"  
  
"Why?" Vegeta sat up further, the sheets lowering until they hardly covered a thing. He pulled up his knees and loosely dangled his hands between them.  
  
"It just…" Bulma turned to shoot him her icicle scowl but stopped when she noticed the state he was suddenly in. Vegeta didn't seem to take notice, nor did he care. His eyes moved from her disheveled hair to her slightly parted lips, down to the gorgeous curve of her hips that were hardly hidden by the tiny scrap of material she wore. When she moved just the right way, his eyes were quick to catch the flash of black lace that served as her underwear. He felt himself growing harder.  
  
Bulma sputtered, tried to say something, gave up, and ran off with her glass of water and a terribly red face. Vegeta watched her go and experienced a sudden strange feeling of disappointment. What…did I expect her to jump in here with me? He lay back in the sheets and slid a hand beneath them, closing his eyes, his breathing turning ragged as he tried desperately to satisfy himself. With the vision of her scantily clad body standing inches from his own it wasn't hard.  
  
Strange…  
  
When it was over, he still didn't feel satisfied. 


	8. Chapter Eight: The women beneath

1 Chapter Eight: The women beneath  
  
Morning arrived early on R'haksin.  
  
Bulma jumped when she felt the object collide with her chest. She flailed for a moment, fearing a Storkrin attack, and instead closed her hand around a plastic package. She opened her eyes and saw Vegeta's backside walking away. The object was apparently a type of armor she assumed she was supposed to wear. How Vegeta had acquired it she didn't know. She shrugged and crawled out of the bed, stretching and yawning loudly. She frowned when she felt the familiar and unwanted sensation of her weak and trembling legs.  
  
"Vegeta!" she called. She took a moment to steady herself and trotted after him. She met up with him in the kitchen. He was downing a glass of water and wiping his mouth when she approached him.  
  
"What is this?" she held up the package.  
  
Vegeta scowled. "Do you have to run around like that?" he growled at her, indicating the flimsy tank top.  
  
Bulma was surprised to see a flash of what seemed to be embarrassment in his eyes. He looked away and folded his arms and did not make any eye contact with her. She paused trying to find what to say.  
  
"Well?" she demanded.  
  
"It's armor." He snapped. "Your father installed a computer in here that can generate any sort of material or clothing I would have needed." He paused. "Although I'm not entirely sure how it was that female components were installed in the program. Anyway, I fashioned this for you. Now put it on, and get outside. I'll be waiting." Without another word he was gone. Bulma stood alone and confused in the kitchen. Was it last night? She wondered. Did I miss something?  
  
"Whatever." She mumbled, and trudged off into the bathroom. After a quick shower she tore open the package and pulled out the armor. To her complete surprise she found it to be quite attractive, and even more surprising, a perfect fit. She frowned to herself. How in the hell did Vegeta know her size? She shrugged into it and flushed when she realized how form fitting it was. It hugged every curve with deadly precision. Bulma stared at herself in the mirror. The suit was a navy blue, much like Vegeta's body suit, and was a lighter color around her neck, breasts and midsection. The collar zipped up close to the bottom of her jaw, nearly covering her entire neck. She could move around easily enough, but the material was so snug she found herself close to sweating. What the hell had Vegeta been thinking? Was he trying to get her raped?  
  
There was a zipper that needed to be done up in the back. After much grunting and reaching she gave up; the zipper was far too hard to reach on her own. She was beginning to think that Vegeta had put more thought than she had imagined into this suits making.  
  
"Vegeta?" she stepped out of the bathroom and looked around. He was nowhere to be seen. Then she remembered that he had said he would be outside. She groaned. Now I have to go out there like this in front of those gross creatures?  
  
"Vegeta?" she called, opening the ships door a crack. She jumped back when it swung open and Vegeta stepped inside.  
  
"What?" he eyed her quickly. "The zipper?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
He motioned for her to turn around. She did, and felt his warm fingers graze lightly up her back as the zipper was set in place. She tried not to blush when she turned back around to face him.  
  
"Looks like you knew my size." She said suspiciously.  
  
"Look, you leave enough bras and clothes around your house when I'm there that it wasn't very hard." He exited back out the door. "Come on."  
  
* * *  
  
"There are a number of things you must understand about R'haksin and the Storkrins."" Vegeta explained calmly to Bulma, who sat beside him in the strange rubber-like chairs around the oval table.  
  
She nodded, painfully aware of the snugness of her navy bodysuit, and the red eyes of the Storkrins who stared openly. "Like what?"  
  
"This council is devised of sixteen Storkrin elders." Vegeta said, indicating the company around the table. "They decide everything that happens on R'haksin. I do not plan to listen to them if what they suggest is completely absurd." He lowered his voice and moved slightly closer to her ear. "But, I want you to know that as I may come off as the type, I do respect other cultures and traditions, except those of Earth, as they are obviously devoid of any sanity."  
  
Bulma laughed dryly. "So what you're saying is that you're going to listen to most of what these slimy jerks say?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Unless it's a potential harm to either one of us?" she finished.  
  
"Correct."  
  
Bulma stared down at her hands clasped tightly in her lap. "I don't understand."  
  
"They may not seem like it to you, but the Storkrins are a respectable race." He announced. "And though I killed many of them and will not hesitate to do so again, they returned respect by helping me when I was in need, so I plan to go through this next month without having to murder too many of them."  
  
Bulma nodded. "Why do they speak English? And how is it that we can breathe the air?"  
  
Vegeta shrugged. "I am not sure." He said. "Anyway, there are a number of things I have to clear up with the Elders. You can either stay here and listen, or I can accompany you back to the ship." He paused. "You would get a better understanding if you stayed here."  
  
Bulma would have liked to; she was interested in the Storkrins, no matter how creepy they came off as. But the ship had food, and a bathroom, and reading material. She blinked and looked around the room they sat in. She was already sick of the color red.  
  
Still, the thought of being alone in the ship without Vegeta's annoying yet comforting presence was unnerving, so she shook her head. "I'll stay." She said. "I'd like to hear what you have to say."  
  
He nodded once and looked to Treskor, engaging in a conversation. Bulma tuned the strange guttural hissing of the Storkrins out and focused instead on the furnishings of the building they were in. It had surprised her when she had first entered. The Storkrins by no means had the decorating talents of Martha Stewart, but they had a strangely pleasant manner in which they furnished their buildings. The rooms were all made of marble she had quickly learned, and had no doors. Since the weather stayed particularly mild they had no need of it. Instead where doors should have been there were only oval shaped holes that one stepped through into the next room. Bulma had found herself genuinely happy with the room they were seated in, although everything was still the same dark red coloring. She only wished the Storkrins were not so menacing. If she had not known what Vegeta was capable of, she would have put them on the same intimidation level as he. Such gargantuan creatures they were. Their arms were as wide around as most of the tree trunks in the Capsule Corp. backyard. She shuddered.  
  
She sat back in the chair and waited patiently for Vegeta to finish his questioning. It was then that an odd thought struck her.  
  
"Excuse me…?"  
  
Every Storkrin in the room whirled their blunt heads toward her when she spoke. Shrinking back a tiny bit in her seat, she timidly asked her question.  
  
"Where are…the women?" her voice sounded strained. Vegeta shot her a dangerous look. Treskor narrowed his eyes.  
  
"We do not have femalesss." He hissed shortly. "That isss all."  
  
Paling, Bulma nodded and squirmed as far down as she could into her chair, wishing she could vanish completely from view.  
  
* * *  
  
"How was I supposed to know?" Bulma growled at Vegeta as the two of them walked back to the ship.  
  
"You weren't," he said, "You just shouldn't have asked."  
  
Bulma slammed her hands into the spandex pockets of her bodysuit and shook her head. "So then where are they? What happened?"  
  
"Woman! Drop it, all right?" Vegeta stopped in the middle of the path they were in and grabbed her by the arms, yanking her to face him. "It's a bad place to poke your nose in. Just leave it at what I told you."  
  
She tore her arms from his electrifying grip and glared defiantly back. "There is no way their population could be this big without any women."  
  
Vegeta looked at her for a very long time before sighing loudly. "Look. Remember when I told you about the Fortricres epidemic when I crash landed here?"  
  
"Yes…"  
  
"It attacked the women. None of the males were infected. It dwindled their population to a handful. When they finally discovered the cure it was too late. There were only a dozen of them left. Eight men and four women. It took years for them to rebuild their population. That's why they hate and fear you. They want nothing to do with you; you remind them of what happened." Vegeta's eyes were cold in the red glare of the sky. "The women that survived were too infected and diseased to be considered proper mating material. They were sent to a maze of underground caverns that they later called 'The Dungeons'. Hundreds of cells were built. Every female child born for the next two years afterwards was either malformed or infected with traces of reproduction deficiency and was sent there." He seemed to catch himself and trailed off. "Just…don't pry into it."  
  
Bulma felt numb. "What…do you mean?" she whispered. "Reproduction deficiency?"  
  
Vegeta tried to shake his head but Bulma wouldn't have any of it. "Tell me!" she demanded.  
  
"All right!" Vegeta said. "It impairs your ability to have children. Fortricres directly attacks the reproduction system and leaves permanent damage. If it is treated quickly enough it can be prevented." He looked at her squarely. "It will be soon enough for you, if that's what you're thinking."  
  
"How do you know?" Bulma cried.  
  
Vegeta pointed a finger at her. "I am going to tell you this once, and I'm not going to tell you again. Don't go looking for the Dungeons." He said. "You wont like what you find, and the Storkrins wont either. Who knows what they'd do, if I weren't there to defend you. They don't want anybody prying around down there. Got it?"  
  
Bulma nodded mutely, and they continued on in silence back to the ship.  
  
She knew before she crawled into her bed that night that she would find the Dungeons, and openly confront their terrible secret.  
  
* * *  
  
Again the light touched R'haksin at an insanely early hour, bleeding dark reds and streaks of blacks across the endless sky. Bulma hugged her coffee mug closer to her body as if trying to extract any bit of warmth that she could find. Such a dismal place…she shook her head. A ways down the hall and to the right, Vegeta still slept soundly. She had been awake for hours.  
  
I know I shouldn't, but I have to see those women. All through the night, Bulmas thoughts had been of the poor diseased women trapped away in the dampness of the Dungeons. Not being able to think of anything else, she had climbed out of bed and made herself breakfast after only three hours of restless sleep.  
  
What would Vegeta do to her, if she went? What would she find? Would it be too horrible to erase from her memory? Her fingers grazed the porcelain sides of the mug as she stared out the single glass window of the ship. How could they just shut them away in the darkness to die? All thoughts of having respect for the Storkrins as a race of peoples vanished from her mind. They should at least have a decent way of disposing of their dying. Rotting away in a damp cell was no way to go.  
  
She glanced behind her. Vegeta would be asleep for another good hour or so. It would be long enough to dress herself and investigate. You're being stupid again, Bulma. She frowned at herself. In coming here she had been stupid enough, and had already endangered her life further and made Vegeta's task far too risky than should have been necessary. But when something wormed its way into her thoughts, there was no way of getting it out.  
  
She knew deep inside that the one thing she feared most about confronting these women was that she would see the effects of Fortricres herself, up close and personal. Would she be able to handle that?  
  
I have to find out for myself. She knew she did. They were spending a month on R'haksin, how could she ignore the fact of those trapped Storkrins somewhere beneath their very feet?  
  
Bulma gulped back the last bit of coffee and turned to her room to dress for the chill of the morning.  
  
* * *  
  
Vegeta awoke with a start, surprised that he had slept so late. His internal clock was screaming at him that it was well past the hour that he should have awakened. His thoughts turned instantly to Bulma, a habit he had found himself doing every morning since they had left. He was still unsure as to whether or not it was a good thing.  
  
He pushed himself up and threw his legs over the bed while he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. Where was she, anyway? The usual annoying music of hers that she played wasn't blasting in its too early glory and Vegeta experienced a tiny twinge of unease. He slid off the bed and grabbed the dark green towel from his nightstand, wrapping it around his waist in a slight attempt to cover his nakedness.  
  
"Woman?" he called. He grimaced at the morning taste in his mouth. Why was it taking him so long to wake up? He padded into the kitchen and looked around. She had been here. A coffee mug sat on the counter, still half full of a few warm drops. He frowned.  
  
"BULMA!"  
  
No answer.  
  
Vegeta swore to himself as he made the connection. He was out the door within seconds and running.  
  
* * *  
  
"Earthling female."  
  
Bulma nearly screamed as she collided with the red bulk of a Storkrin, who appeared nearly out of nowhere. It stood and regarded her carefully with cold red eyes.  
  
"H-hello." She stammered. Should I say Hello? She wasn't sure what their typical style of greeting was, nor was she sure how she felt about being referred to as 'earthling female'.  
  
"Where isss the Prince?" the Storkrin hissed. She knew by its size and voice that this Storkrin was not Treskor. Bulma had learned to identify the Storkrins status by the strange bark-like armor they wore. If the armor was a dark blue the Storkrin was of less importance in the society. If the armor was black, they lived on a slightly higher rung of the ladder. Treskor had neither; his armor was a brilliant shade of Gold, which she assumed to be accurate for his standing. She eyed the Storkrin before her and noted the black armor. She swallowed hard.  
  
"Sleeping." She muttered. Beyond him the path narrowed into more darkness. She still did not have the slightest idea where The Dungeons were. What if she was close? What would this Storkrin do?  
  
"Sssleeping?" he hissed, hunching lower to the ground. She watched as he flexed the muscles in his hands and clenched them repeatedly. "What are you doing about, female?" she did not miss the accusation in his voice. Something told her she was close.  
  
"Exploring…" she tried to make herself meet his gaze. He blew foul smelling breath into her face as he leaned even closer.  
  
"Do you know where it isss you explore?" his eyes glinted.  
  
"No."  
  
"Perhapsss you ssshould explore sssomewhere elssse." He said. The trail fell silent as each waited to see what the other would do.  
  
"Perhaps." She agreed, though not whole-heartedly. "I'll do that." She turned and started back the way she came, her heart thudding in her chest. What was I thinking? Her shoes sunk deep in the crumbling dirt as she hurried along knowing well that the Storkrin remained on the path, not moving, waiting for her to turn so that his suspicions would be confirmed. She forced herself to go faster, willing her exhausted body to get as far away from the creature as she could.  
  
It was at the end of the path that she stopped and sat down, her chest heaving with her labored breaths. "Oh Kami…" she panted. She slumped down the smooth boulder she was sitting on and rested against its refreshing coolness. Had that Storkrin known that she was looking for The Dungeons? Has she even been close to them? Bulma whimpered and reached down to massage her calves. The hurried jog had not done her ever-weakening body any good. She wondered if Vegeta had noticed she was gone yet. How long had it been, anyway? An hour?  
  
Bulma didn't remember how she had found the path and was suddenly afraid that she was lost.  
  
Vegeta's going to kill me. She thought. If a Storkrin doesn't get to me first.  
  
She stood up on her shaky legs and scanned the horizon. It wasn't going to do her any good to just sit here; she had to find a way back to the ship. "This disease is making me stupid." She mumbled aloud. "Why the hell else would I do something like this? Still…"  
  
She looked back over her shoulder. She was certain that the Storkrin had been so defensive because of The Dungeons. Why else would he have basically demanded that she turn around and leave? She cupped her hands to her cheeks; the wind was bitingly cold. She had been so close…she had to try again. Perhaps she could get around the massive alien without alerting him. After all, he was roughly eight feet tall and 300 pounds, whereas she was 5'6 and 110. She could easily move through the brush undetected.  
  
Could she?  
  
She would have to try.  
  
* * *  
  
"Treskor!" Vegeta's harsh voice rang out through the stillness of the morning. The enormous Storkrin turned and raised an eyebrow. "Yesss, Prince?"  
  
Vegeta ran up to Treskor who stood a good few feet from the Storkrin Councils Tower. He was surrounded by at least eight other Storkrins who wore their respectable black armor. They all stopped in their gate and waited for him to approach them.  
  
He stopped inches from Treskor. "Have you seen the earthling, Bulma?" he asked. "She was missing when I awoke."  
  
"Misssing?" Treskor hissed. "I would not know, Prince." He paused and turned to the small group surrounding him. A number of strange guttural words were exchanged between them. "My men have not ssseen a thing."  
  
Vegeta scowled and swore softly to himself. The woman was insufferable! He would have to keep looking.  
  
"Fine." He turned to look for her in another direction. Treksor stopped him with one clawed hand.  
  
"I could have a ssscout sssent out, Prince."  
  
"It's all right." He said shortly. "I will find her."  
  
Treskor turned his bulk around to face Vegeta. "Sssee that you do, Prince." He narrowed his eyes meaningfully. "I do not want prying eyesss where they are not needed." With that, he turned back to his men and they continued into the Council Tower, leaving Vegeta standing alone in the vast redness of R'haksin.  
  
"Bulma…"  
  
He growled softly and kept running.  
  
* * *  
  
Bulma released a breath that she had been holding for what seemed like hours with exaggerated relief. She had made it past the Storkrin and had found his secret.  
  
The Dungeons.  
  
She stood at the base of what seemed to be the entrance and stared down into the rocky abyss. She could not be sure what she had stumbled upon, but judging from the sounds coming from below, she assumed whatever was being kept down there was not happy.  
  
The entrance loomed above the ground and stood at a height of 6 feet. It was made of marble, like most of everything the Storkrins built, and looked to be ancient. Weeds and vines covered the majority of the 'door' that led down into the darkness, and small unidentifiable insects scurried across the crumbling foundation as she stepped closer.  
  
Can I do this?  
  
She leaned against the cool stone for a moment, catching her breath. Her navy blue armor was muddied and torn at the knees from her sneaking around through the forests. She swallowed against the fear in her throat and peered ahead into the hole. She could make out the faint images of uneven, crumbling steps. She stepped forward and tested the first with her foot. When it did not give under her weight she tried the other as she held firmly onto a thick vine outside the door. It held. She released another breath and started into the darkness.  
  
Bulmas eyes were quick to adjust to the darkness. She was walking down a long winding staircase. Occasionally she would slip on a spot of mold. Nearly twice she went down, but was saved by the overhanging vines that hung like party streamers from the unending ceiling. It took her a good ten minuets to get to the bottom.  
  
What are those noises? She paused and listened at what she assumed to be the last step. Wisps hung in her face and tickled her nose. Spiderwebs. Is it…breathing?  
  
The noises stopped, whatever they were. Bulma could scarcely breathe or hear herself think over the intense pounding of her heart. For a moment she feared she was about to faint, but the feeling passed, and she forced herself to calm down. It was almost to dark to see but an inch in front of her. She took her first step forward onto the recently undisturbed concrete. Thick layers of dust from years of neglect rose from her feet as she stepped tentatively into a long, wide hallway. A sudden smell assaulted her nostrils and she covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes tearing at the horrendous scent that filled the air…  
  
Death.  
  
Her eyes made out images, faint at first, but they grew as she walked closer. She stopped inches from the first object to her left and dug around in her pocket while her other hand remained over her mouth and nose. She had been wise enough to bring a small Capsule flashlight. Her thumb lingered on the switch, trembling, as she realized that she was absolutely terrified of what she would see.  
  
She closed her eyes and forced herself to turn the flashlight on. A ray of dim light filtered into the hallway and Bulma heard the strangled shrieks of creatures as the unfamiliar light attacked their frail eyes, accompanied by the frantic beating of leathery wings. Her entire body shook from head to toe as she stood with closed eyes and prayed for the courage to open them. She heard something to her right shuffle around close to her. Something large stood up. She heard a metallic clinking, almost like chains…  
  
Bulma opened her eyes. 


	9. Chapter Nine: Koru and cold showers

1 Chapter Nine: Koru and Cold showers  
  
The first thing Bulma saw when she opened her eyes was the strangely beautiful and mysterious face of a somewhat more 'delicate' Storkrin. Hardened red eyes stared back at Bulma's terrified blue ones. Time passed slowly. At last Bulma forced herself to speak.  
  
"Who…what…"  
  
The Storkrin moved and Bulma saw the source of the metallic noise. A leg iron was fastened around the Storkrins ankle and driven deep into the ground behind her with what looked like a railroad spike. Bulma's hand had left her mouth and nose, and she could again smell the rot that permeated the air around them. She had stopped trembling.  
  
"I'm not going to…hurt you…" Bulma said softly, feeling somewhat odd about her choice of words. The Storkrin was at least seven feet tall and had a lean, athletic figure. Bulma knew instantly that this creature could snap her bones like dry pieces of kindling if it had the chance. But the iron chains holding it looked strong enough to keep her bulk back. Bulma's eyes trailed over the Storkrin and took in its appearance. This Storkrin was not male. She could tell by its size and facial features. The snout was slightly smaller than the males and the eyes were prominently feminine.  
  
"Do…can you speak?" Bulma asked softly. "I…" she trailed off when the Storkrin rose from the concrete floor and stood to her full height of 7 feet 6 inches. Bulma lifted her face slowly to capture the gaze of the small red eyes that shone down from the blackness above.  
  
"Of course I can speak." The voice was hard and firm. Bulma suddenly felt shamefully stupid for approaching the Storkrin in such an infantile manner.  
  
"Where….are we?" Bulma finally tore her gaze from the Storkrin and looked around the room. It had to be The Dungeons. It looked enough like a prison. She suddenly noticed for the first time the other cells that lined the walls, some filled with Storkrins, and others filled with indistinguishable black figures.  
  
"What…?" Bulma murmured and she moved from the Storkrins cell across the hall to the others. She shone her light into the cell with the black figure and cried out softly when her flashlight fell upon the half-decayed form of what had once been a Storkrin. Flies and other insects buzzed lazily around the corpse, as small skittering things ate nosily where she could not see.  
  
The first Storkrins voice was firm. "Leave her."  
  
Bulma turned from the cell and crouched down on the balls of her feet, fighting back the waves of nausea that rose in her throat. It didn't work. She crawled into the damp corner and threw up on the cold cement. Her body shook with the terrible image. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and rose, averting her eyes from the corpse.  
  
"Shaneil." The Storkrin said quietly. Bulma realized for the first time that this Storkrin did not hiss with the strange guttural growling that the males did. "Her name was Shaneil. She had been dying for years. We all have."  
  
Shocked, Bulma slumped down on the damp floor in front of the Storkrins cell. "Who are you?" she whispered. "What is this place? Is it The Dungeons…?"  
  
"I am Koru." The Storkrin said. "This is The Dungeons." She gave Bulma a level gaze with her small red eyes. "Who are you?" she asked.  
  
"Bulma Briefs."  
  
"Bulma." Koru repeated the name slowly. "What business do you have here? Are you an Earthling?"  
  
"Earthling." Bulma nodded.  
  
Koru drew her muscled legs close to her body and Bulma caught the quick glimpse of wings behind her. "Earth. I have heard much of it. Why are you here? How did you find this place?" she paused. "They will kill you if they find you here."  
  
Bulma could not seem to erase the image of the Storkrin corpse from her mind. She stared numbly at her feet and nodded. "I know…" she stammered. "I just…couldn't believe they'd…keep you down here…like this."  
  
Koru turned from Bulma and looked down the hall. The small ray of light from the flashlight caught the glint of precious stones imbedded on Koru's face that surrounded her eyes and cheeks. They glittered as she moved.  
  
"How long have you been infected?" Koru asked quietly.  
  
Bulma looked up, startled. "How…?"  
  
"I can smell it on you." She replied. "How long?"  
  
Bulma sighed shakily. "A couple of weeks now. Maybe four?" she realized she couldn't remember. She looked up at Koru. "Are…you infected? Is that why you are down here?"  
  
She nodded once. "I have been here for two years." She said.  
  
"Two years?" Bulma cried. "But…how long can you survive with Fortricres?"  
  
"It is different for everyone." Koru said, her voice suddenly choked with emotion. She lifted her eyes to Bulmas. "Do you know?…it has been two years since I have spoken to anyone?"  
  
Bulma looked away from the creature's pain, her own eyes filling with unwanted tears.  
  
"I'm…I'm sorry if I…"  
  
Koru suddenly extended a slim, clawed hand through the bars pleadingly. "Don't go." She said quickly. "Please…stay for a while?"  
  
Bulma shook her head. "I don't want…them to find me…" she ran a hand nervously through her hair. "I'm sorry…I wish I could but…"  
  
"Tell me," Koru grabbed the bars of the cells with her hands. "Does the Psytrim still grow?" she whispered. "Do I dare hope?"  
  
Bulma felt sick. "It does."  
  
Koru's delicate muzzle split into a half-smile. "Do you speak the truth?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Would you…could you bring…" Koru struggled with the words but Bulma caught the meaning. She tried to smile for the woman. "Of course I will...if I can." She added.  
  
Koru nodded. "Does Treskor still live?"  
  
Bulma nodded. "Unfortunately." She caught herself and began to backtrack, but saw the look of murderous hate in Koru's eyes. "Did…is he the one who put you down here?"  
  
Koru said nothing, but Bulma could tell.  
  
"Why is it that you haven't spoken to anyone?" Bulma asked her. "Do the others here not speak to you?"  
  
Koru shook her head. "Fortricres has not dealt them a fair blow. They are mute."  
  
Bulma nodded.  
  
"I have to go." She bit her lip. She wanted to turn and run. Run as fast as she could from this place and never come back. The smell hung thick in the air and the buzzing of the insects on the corpse was like thunder in her ears.  
  
"Will you return?"  
  
"I'll try."  
  
Koru let her hands drop from the bars and dropped back into the shadows of her cell, her chain clinking into silence as she retreated into the corner. Bulma heard her sit, and she clutched at the wrists of her body suit, her mind racing with a million thoughts.  
  
"Come back…" It was a distant plea at her back as Bulma ran from the room.  
  
* * *  
  
  
  
Bulma screamed but was cut short when a gloved hand covered her mouth and yanked her behind a concealed bush. Panicking and flailing at her attacker proved useless as she struggled against its body. She was turned roughly and saw Vegeta. Her panic quickly subsided and she felt shameful heat streaking across her cheeks.  
  
He let go of her mouth and scowled at her as best he could.  
  
"What the hell did you think you were doing?" he hissed.  
  
"How did you know where to find me?" she asked him.  
  
Vegeta was positively seething with anger. "You're so stupid!" he growled, pacing back and forth. "Don't you think I'm going to have enough trouble with you being here? Don't make it worse by snooping around where you don't belong!"  
  
"I'm sorry." She mumbled, digging her heel into the dirt. She wondered absently where the Storkrin was.  
  
"You had better be!" he snapped. "Don't even go down there again, Bulma."  
  
She lifted her head. "Wait! I told Koru that I'd-  
  
"You made friends down there?" he cried, exasperated. "Kami, woman! And you pick the best one to make friends with…"  
  
"Vegeta, have you been down there? Do you even know what's down there?" Bulma stopped when she realized what he had said. "You know who Koru is?"  
  
"Everybody knows who Koru is. She used to be the most respected and powerful female Storkrin on R'haksin. She was Treskor's female."  
  
Ignoring the way he had labeled her as a piece of property, Bulma was now interested. "So he just chucked her down there with the others because she was infected?'  
  
"Is infected." Vegeta corrected. "I told you. They want nothing to do with Fortricres. And the Pystrim doesn't grow like it used to anymore, now only one or two grow a year."  
  
"So why don't they cure her if she's so respected and important?"  
  
Vegeta seemed to be struggling with an inner turmoil. "Woman, could we talk about this later? We need to get the hell out of here."  
  
"Answer me!"  
  
Vegeta shot her a look that made her blood run cold. She lowered her eyes and felt as though she had somehow overstepped some important boundary, though she was not sure why. "I'm…sorry." She said quietly. "I didn't meant to worry you…"  
  
"Yes, you did." He said, surprisingly softly. "Otherwise you wouldn't have run away like that."  
  
Bulma looked up in time to see a ghost of a smirk on his face before she was pulled through the bush behind him, back toward the ship.  
  
* * *  
  
Vegeta splashed cold water over his face and shivered as droplets of it splashed over his bare chest. The cold shower had not done anything to rid him of his thoughts, or the problem he was experiencing beneath the green towel about his waist.  
  
Of course, Bulma had returned to the ship and showered, padding around in her towel oblivious to the fact that it hardly covered her ass. She had dressed in a pair of loose fitting jeans that hung low about her hips and showed off a generous amount of her flawless pale skin. The T-shirt she wore stretched tightly across her bosom and did nothing to hide the straining peaks as she shivered in the cool air of the kitchen. Vegeta had finished his meal as quickly as he could and had retreated to the shower.  
  
Now, he was angry with himself.  
  
Why was he having such thoughts about this weak female? He had never had such thoughts as these before. She had given him plenty of visual opportunity at the Capsule Corp. building, and he had taken them all with pleasure. But nothing more than a simple dirty thought had entered his mind. Now, he found himself fighting his urges, sweating with the strain of wanting to take her but not being able to.  
  
He stood and stared back at himself in the reflection. Had that night been an invitation on his part? Had he truly been waiting for her to crawl in next to him, naked, into his arms?  
  
He realized he had.  
  
He turned the tap off and secured the towel, shaking his head to rid his fiery mane of any last droplets. He left the bathroom and walked down the hall to his bedroom, looking forward to crawling into bed and staying away from her delicious body.  
  
"Vegeta?"  
  
He groaned.  
  
"What?" he kept walking, past his bedroom and into the kitchen, where Bulma was standing on a stool trying to reach (of course) the top shelf of the cupboards.  
  
She turned her face red with the effort, her hair messed about her head as strands of it slipped from the loose ponytail and trailed down her shoulders.  
  
"Could you…" she grunted as she stretched again, her shirt riding up to reveal a generous portion of her midsection. Vegeta stared at the floor when she turned back to him.  
  
"Nice towel."  
  
He didn't know how to take that one. "Er…what do you need help with?"  
  
"Can you get me that bag of goldfish crackers? I don't know who in the hell stuck it way up there."  
  
Vegeta obliged and levitated easily to the shelf. He grabbed the box and landed softly and gracefully. Bulma took it and gave him a tiny smile.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
He mumbled something unintelligible and she shrugged, seating herself into one of the chairs at the kitchen. He noticed the look on her face as she opened the box and began munching. She looked troubled.  
  
"What are you thinking about?" he asked her. They both looked at the other chair. He sat down awkwardly.  
  
"Koru." Bulma said quietly. "You should tell me about her…"  
  
"Some other time." He extended a hand and she plopped a handful of the crackers into it. He munched along with her. "I don't want you going back there." He said around an orange mouthful. "Understand?"  
  
She lowered her eyes. "Yeah."  
  
No you don't.  
  
He swallowed and moved to get up. "I'm going to sleep." He said.  
  
"Don't go to bed." She said. "It's not even nine yet."  
  
"I'm tired."  
  
"Let's play a game or something." Bulma said. "We haven't really done anything fun yet. Come on." She said. He absolutely loved the smile that was tugging at her lips and sat back down.  
  
"All right." He grumbled. "Like what?"  
  
"I brought some paper and pens." She said. "We could play hangman or something." She paused. "Unless you can think of something better."  
  
He shrugged, completely forgetting his towel and tiredness. "Like what?"  
  
Bulma leaned back in her chair and suddenly a huge grin spread on her face. "Hide and seek!"  
  
A blank expression spread across Vegeta's face. "What the hell," he asked slowly in a wary voice, "is hide and seek?"  
  
"Well," Bulma said, a giddy feeling rising in her gut. "One of us hides somewhere, and the other person counts to ten. When they're done counting they say; 'Ready or not, here I come!' and then they have to find the other person."  
  
"It sounds insane." He said.  
  
"Oh, come on. When's the last time you let yourself have any fun, Vegeta?"  
  
He narrowed his eyes, his chin resting on his hands. "Never."  
  
"Exactly." She stood up. "You count. I'll hide!"  
  
"I don't want to play this children's game!" he protested weakly, though something deep inside him was screaming at him to take the opportunity. "I have much more pride than that."  
  
Bulma leaned across the table and slapped him on the shoulder. "That's your problem!" she said with a laugh. "She took off down the hall. "Count to ten!" she called over her shoulder.  
  
I can't believe I'm doing this. Vegeta growled as he sat at the table. Does she honestly think this will be fun?  
  
He quickly counted to ten and stalked out of the kitchen. He stood in the hall and sniffed the air. He turned to the right at a closet, which stored cleaning chemicals.  
  
"You're in the closet." He said with a sigh. "I won. Can I go to sleep now?"  
  
Bulma pulled the closet door open and glared at him. "This really isn't fair! You have such sharp senses." She stood up. "We should play something else."  
  
Vegeta groaned. "No! I'm going to bed." He turned but Bulma latched onto his arm. "I don't want to go to sleep down there yet." She complained. "Please?"  
  
He yanked his arm free with a scowl and crossed his arms over his chest. "Like what?"  
  
"Cards?" Bulma suddenly giggled quietly.  
  
"What?" Vegeta followed her eyes to his towel, which was slowly starting to slip down his hips. He flushed angrily.  
  
"I'm sorry, Vegeta." She shook her head with a little sigh and smile. "You're not exactly dressed for playing games, are you? I guess I'm just bored…I know sleeping isn't going to be easy tonight. I suppose I was just trying to put it off."  
  
He shrugged and hitched the towel up around his waist. "Just try to get some sleep, all right? And don't you dare go back to The Dungeons tomorrow."  
  
"You can't tell me what to do." She retorted softly.  
  
"When I'm here to save your life, I damn well can."  
  
She stared at him a moment longer and then looked away uncomfortably. "I'll see you tomorrow morning, then." She rubbed the back of her head and moved off toward the stairs. She paused at the foot of them. "Vegeta?" he heard her call. Her voice was terribly quiet.  
  
"Hn?"  
  
"Do you hate me?"  
  
A silence hung thick in the air while Vegeta tried to figure out what to say. "Only for making me have feelings like this." He mumbled, sure that she hadn't heard him. He turned and went his own way toward the bedroom.  
  
At the top of the stairs Bulma sucked in a breath.  
  
She had heard him perfectly well. 


	10. Chapter Ten: Win me that Cheribulum, Veg...

1 Chapter Ten: Win me that Cheribulum, Vegeta!  
  
  
  
"You wanted to play a game, didn't you?"  
  
Bulma rolled over with a loud groan and looked up into the face of Vegeta. "What are you doing?" she mumbled. "What time is it?"  
  
"Time for the Storkrin's annual festival." He replied rather disgustedly. "You can go out there if you want."  
  
Bulma sat up in her bed and pushed the covers away from her. She looked confused, which was probably a result of waking up and having Vegeta looming over her first thing. She rubbed sleep from her eyes.  
  
"Festival?"  
  
"Yes." He said with his usual frown amplified 10,000 times. "It slipped my mind that we have, unfortunately, come at the time of the Storkrins season in which they have a 'festival' to celebrate the growing of their crops and the like."  
  
Bulma swung her legs over the bed and scratched at her shoulder. "How the hell can they celebrate anything when they've got something like The Dungeons on their conscience?"  
  
Vegeta gave her a warning glance. "I told you about The Dungeons." He said slowly. "So just push it from your mind."  
  
"I can't." Bulma pouted. "I told Koru I would come back to talk to her."  
  
Vegeta waved the matter away angrily with a hand and stalked toward the bedroom door. "Anyway, the point is, the Storkrins consider this festival a matter of great importance. In other words, they basically expect us to come and show our respect."  
  
Bulma smiled as she realized Vegeta's cause for anger. "I remember." She said, grinning. "You were telling me that you respect the Storkrins as a race, don't you? I don't think a festival in under the category of 'endangering our lives', is it?"  
  
"Wipe that smirk off your face, woman, and get changed." He turned and left.  
  
"This is some thing you've gotten yourself roped into, Vegeta." Bulma called after him as she began to dress for the day.  
  
* * *  
  
Oh Kami…it's just like a circus…  
  
Bulma took her eyes away from the bright lights and sounds and looked to Vegeta, who she noted with some concealed delight, was wearing casual clothing. Although the skintight body suit and armor displayed his figure in the best way possible, she loved how he looked in ordinary human clothing.  
  
"You look cute." she said with a grin. "Especially with that miserable pout on your face."  
  
"Woman," Vegeta looked at her and shook his head, "I am not cute."  
  
He scowled and looked away from her approving glance, experiencing the now familiar sensation of desire when she stood this close. He wore a white dress shirt that was unbuttoned enough at the top to reveal a nice portion of his chest. His cuffs were undone and his hands shoved deep in the pockets of his black, loose fitting jeans. She realized it was the same outfit he had worn on his 'going away luncheon'. She loved it.  
  
"So this is it." She stated. She had to admit, the Storkrins sure knew how to make a festival look like a festival. It was the stuff inside the tents and circles that she was worried about. She had already pictured dozens of slimy, disturbing prizes and eerie creatures hiding at every booth. But the flashing lights and the strange noises were a nice change from the usual drab redness of the planet and its solitude.  
  
"So what exactly is this festival about, anyway?" she asked him as they stood on the outskirts. Vegeta shrugged, and Bulma watched the corded muscle flex beneath the flimsy white shirt. She blushed a tiny bit and looked away. "Are there prizes and rides and stuff like that?"  
  
"Not exactly." He muttered. "Look out."  
  
Bulma looked over her shoulder to see the massive bulk of Treskor walking up to them. She remembered Koru's words about Treskor and turned her nose up, ignoring him completely. The move did not go unnoticed by the other Storkrins, who looked suspiciously.  
  
"Prince." Treskor greeted. "You and the earthling are going to join usss today?"  
  
Vegeta nodded. "She is worried about the festivals intentions, however." He smirked at the Storkrins and a ripple of laughter went through them. Bulma turned a bit annoyed. "I am not…"  
  
"Do not worry, earthling female." Treskor said with a strange glint in his eyes. "I think you will enjoy the fessstival."  
  
Bulma took Vegeta's arm, ignoring his surprised expression, and led him into the fairgrounds.  
  
* * *  
  
Vegeta could not deny that he was having fun. Watching Bulma as she hurried around the fairgrounds poking at everything with that keen curiosity of hers was priceless. I'm glad she's having fun. He thought to himself. I'm glad she's not withering away…  
  
She whirled around, her Storkrin armor glinting in the strange lights of the fair. "Vegeta!" she called out to him.  
  
"What?"  
  
She took his hand and led him over to a booth she had discovered. "Aren't they cute?" she squealed, sounding much like a schoolgirl.  
  
Vegeta stared. He had never seen anything so ugly in his entire life. What stared up at him was what the Storkrins called a 'Cheribulum' it was basically their version of a 'housepet'.  
  
"Leave it to you to find the ugliest son of a bitch on the lot." He muttered, watching the way it's enormous blue eyes blinked slowly at them. It stood about eight inches tall and had a thick mottled fur that covered its rounded body. It stood on two fat, plump legs that poked out from under its rotund belly. It looked up at Bulma and uttered a small chirping noise, flailing about two flipper-like arms. Vegeta supposed it was a like a more disturbing and fuzzy version of the Earth's penguin, minus the beak. It opened its mouth and chirped again. Bulma was hooked.  
  
"They're not ugly!" she abolished him. "It says here you can win one if you win the game!"  
  
Vegeta rolled his eyes. "Of course." He said sarcastically.  
  
Row upon row of the frighteningly adorable Cheribulum's chirped and wiggled and danced around on the booths shelves as a rather bored looking Storkrin Carney leaned on one elbow and watched them. "Would you like to play?" it hissed, handing a small Frisbee-like object to Bulma in its clawed hands.  
  
"W…what do I have to do?" Bulma said.  
  
The Storkrin exchanged a knowing glance with Vegeta, who smirked back. Caught up in the cuteness of the Cheribulums, Bulma missed the look entirely.  
  
"It isss a game of ssstrength, earthling female." The Storkrin hissed. "Perhapsss you would like the Prince to play for you?"  
  
Bulma looked up angrily, catching the immediate challenge. What was it with these Storkrins, always having to put her down and insinuate that she was some weakling?  
  
"I can do it!" she straightened to her full height. "Show me how."  
  
The Storkrin stepped back a pace and gestured with his arm. "There isss a green line a number of pacesss behind you."  
  
She turned and saw the line about five feet from where the booth was. "Yeah." She said, turning back to the booth.  
  
"Ssstand there, and throw the Frih." The Storkrin said. Bulma looked down at the object in her hands. Frih? That must have been it.  
  
"If you can manage to loop it around thisss Cheribulumsss neck, you may pick one of your choice."  
  
He pointed a claw at a decrepit looking Cheribulum who stood out from the others because of what looked like a streak of blue paint across its belly. It looks so sad! Bulma thought.  
  
"Do I win him?" she asked.  
  
"No." The Storkrin replied. "There isss more."  
  
"More?"  
  
"If you sssuceed in the firssst challenge, you can move onto the final round. The final is the tessst of ssstrength."  
  
Bulma nodded. She was fairly good at marksmanship. I have played baseball, haven't I? She was surprised to find that she couldn't remember.  
  
She stepped back, wound her arm back, and tossed the Frih at the Cheribulum. The Frih sailed through the air for a good four feet, sparkling in the lights, and landed sharply on one large ear of the blue Cheribulum, who squeaked in response. She pumped her fist in the air.  
  
"YEAH!" she howled, turning to Vegeta, who raised an eyebrow. She turned back to the Storkrin.  
  
"I won!"  
  
The Storkrin was slowly removing the Frih. "Not exactly." He hissed. "You only looped it around itsss ear."  
  
Bulma stopped in her ranting and glared. "Excuse me??" she cried. "I don't think so, buddy. Its ear is damn close enough."  
  
"I'm afraid not, earthling female." The Storkrin replied.  
  
Bulma growled and stalked over the green line toward the booth. She slammed both fists down on the counter, altering a terrified squeak from the Cheribulums. "I won." She said through gritted teeth. "Let me advance."  
  
The Storkrin raised its eyes to Vegeta, as if to see what his thoughts on the situation were. Vegeta was impressed with Bulma's outward defiance and chuckled softly, nodding toward her. "It's good enough." He said. "Let her pass."  
  
The Storkrin shot Bulma a slightly dirty look before extending his arm behind him, in the back of the booth.  
  
"Come thisss way." He said darkly, slipping through the folds of the material.  
  
Bulma turned to Vegeta as he came up to her. "Thanks." She said softly. "Thanks a lot."  
  
He shook his head. "Don't get all soft on me woman. I wasn't doing that just for you. It was an unfair conclusion on his part, is all."  
  
Bulma hid her smile as they walked through the tent flaps.  
  
* * *  
  
  
  
Vegeta sighed miserably as he cradled the chirping Cheribulum in his arms. Under Bulma's strict orders he had been instructed to hold the semi-blue creature while she went to the bathroom.  
  
"You weren't worth the trouble." He muttered down to it. Bulma had decided on the most horrible name for it, as if being sinisterly ugly wasn't a bad enough deal. "Ghost?" he mumbled the name aloud. "What the hell kind of a name is Ghost?"  
  
Ghost cocked its head and chirped again. The word FURBY raced through Vegeta's mind.  
  
"Thanks!" Bulma appeared behind him, taking Ghost from his arms. "Those Storkrin bathrooms are disgusting. How am I supposed to go pee when all there is is some dumb hole in the ground?"  
  
Vegeta was relieved to have the fuzzy monstrosity out of his arms. He brushed the soft brown hair from his shirt and sighed.  
  
"I hope you're having fun." He frowned. "Because I'm starving to death."  
  
Bulma eyed him. "What's that supposed to mean?"  
  
"Have you ever had Storkrin food?"  
  
She took that as answer enough. "So you want to leave?" she asked, not trying to hide the pout from her voice.  
  
"Don't give me that, woman. I practically had to engage in battle to get this ugly bastard for you."  
  
"He's not ugly!" she protested. "And like it was hard. All you had to do was pull a bunch of steel Frih's apart." She snorted. "How the hell did that Storkrin expect me to be able to do that, anyway?"  
  
"I think that was the point." Vegeta said with a smirk. "They seem to enjoy mocking you."  
  
Bulma nuzzled Ghost to her chest and briskly walked through the crowd, pushing past Storkrin bodies that were sweating under the unusually humid heat of the day. "Do you notice the heat?" she asked him. "I think Ghost needs some water." She paused. "What do these guys eat, anyway?"  
  
"Probably garbage." Vegeta mumbled. "And yes, I noticed the heat. I think it's just so many bodies together in one area. There are a lot of big, sweaty Storkrins here."  
  
Bulma handed Ghost to Vegeta once more. "Just for a second…" she reached up and undid the zipper at her neck, pulling it down to reveal more than enough cleavage. She reached around and undid the clip in her hair, ruffling her fingers through it. Vegeta hadn't been sweating, but he was now. She reached for Ghost and smiled gently. "Well? Do you want to keep exploring? Or are you too hungry?"  
  
He fidgeted. If staying here meant that much cleavage, then perhaps it wasn't so bad after all. "Whatever." He shrugged. "You decide. I'm really too fucking hot to make any decisions right now."  
  
She nodded. "We could get some food." She suggested. "It can't be that bad."  
  
He retaliated in fear. "That week I spent here all those years ago was horrible because of the food, woman. You might be all excited about it now, but by the time you get up close and personal to that shit of theirs, you'll change your mind."  
  
* * *  
  
Bulma stared down in horror at the bubbling brown mass that gurgled in the Storkrins frying pan and inwardly admitted that Vegeta had been right.  
  
"What…is it?" she whispered. It had eyeballs. That much she had confirmed. The smell rising off of it wasn't anything she'd ever smelled before. Being neither appealing nor repulsive, she couldn't decide if she had the courage to eat it or not. Just when she thought she was going to, the Storkrin cook leaned over and poked the mass, and a bubble burst, close to her face, sending a rising brown steam from what looked like a pimple.  
  
Vegeta leaned over to whisper in her ear. "Don't."  
  
Ghost seemed all too happy to eat it for her, however. He pumped his stout arms in the air and chirped enthusiastically at the pot. The Storkrin gave him a disapproving look.  
  
"Take your Cheribulum elsssewhere, female." He said.  
  
"I'll take him wherever the hell I want." She retorted. "Give me a bowl, please." The Storkrin stared at her, surprised, and began scooping large amounts of the brown goo into a round, marble bowl. Ghost wiggled his arms in joy.  
  
"My," Vegeta said from behind her. "I see you're not taking any more shit."  
  
"I'm tired of it." She said simply. "It's very rude."  
  
He agreed, secretly pleased that Bulma was starting to crawl out of her 'lay down and take it' phase. Perhaps Fortricres had been doing it to her for the first few weeks, but she seemed to be changing. For the better, it seemed. He walked over to her at the nearest table where they both sat down and stared at the bowl. The hissing had died down. Bulma cautiously poked it with her fork. The mass moved. A huge unblinking eyeball rolled into view. Bulma screamed. Ghost flailed and fell off the table. Vegeta laughed hysterically.  
  
She righted herself and punted him in the arm. "Shut up!" she yelled, extracting the fallen Ghost and placing him on her shoulder. "Don't be so cruel."  
  
"It's my job, woman."  
  
She pushed the bowl toward him. "You try it first."  
  
"No way," he growled, "am I putting that shit in my body. I'm not going to be your guinea pig."  
  
She sighed and nodded to Ghost, who happily slid down her arm and landed close to the bowl. He stuck his fin-arms in and slurped away at the food. The eyeball mysteriously disappeared from view.  
  
"It wont be a complete waste, then." She said. "He was probably hungry, anyway."  
  
They sat and watched the activities going on around them while Ghost sat and munched contentedly away. The air was growing increasingly hotter, and Bulma pulled the zipper down a few more inches. Vegeta tried not to notice but it was increasingly difficult as she leaned forward on her elbows and looked past him at the revolving display of Storkrin weaponry, affording him a perfect view.  
  
A good few minuets later Ghost chirped up at her. "You done, little guy?" she smiled and pushed the bowl away with a cringe. "Good. I hope you enjoyed it."  
  
"So is it final? Is that creepy little fucker staying in the ship with us?" Vegeta asked as they rose from the table.  
  
"Yes, as a matter of fact, he is." She shot back. "He'll sleep with me."  
  
"Damn rights he will." Vegeta snorted. "And if he tries to crawl into my bed, I'll break his ugly little face."  
  
Bulma glared at him. "Who'd want to sleep with you?"  
  
An uncomfortable silence suddenly overtook the two. They looked away from each other and Ghost looked from one to the other, chirping in confusion. Bulma cleared her throat.  
  
"It's getting late. I want to say goodbye to Koru."  
  
The remark was unexpected. "What?" Vegeta spun around to her. "I thought we talked about this."  
  
"We did, but I don't agree with you." She said quietly. "Please, Vegeta? Just for two seconds? I'll be really careful."  
  
"Woman…you…" his voice trailed off.  
  
"Please, Vegeta? Think about her down there in the dark, alone…" she looked at her feet. "She's probably so scared all the time. All her friends are dying…"  
  
"Don't lay guilt trips on me, woman. It won't work. Not with this heart."  
  
Bulma looked up sharply. "Don't you have any compassion?"  
  
"No."  
  
She shook her head. "Look. Two minuets. I swear not a second longer. Please understand this…Vegeta…I feel so sorry for her. I'd feel horrible having such a fun day while she was down there if I didn't go see her."  
  
He growled. "Fine. But I'm waiting by the path. I refuse to let you get in shit. It'll complicate things for the both of us."  
  
She smiled. "Thank you."  
  
"Get going." He scowled.  
  
She turned back to the Storkrin cook. "One more bowl, please?"  
  
* * * 


	11. Chapter Eleven: Healing Hands

1 Chapter Eleven: Healing Hands  
  
Bulma made it into The Dungeons without incident and instantly went to Koru with the steaming bowl of Storkrin food. She switched her tiny flashlight on and shone it carefully into the cell.  
  
"Koru…?" she ventured cautiously.  
  
There was shuffling, the clinking of chains and the wondrous red eyes peered into view. "You came."  
  
Bulma smiled. "Of course I did."  
  
There's a corpse behind you…just try not to think about it…she sat down in front of the cell, holding up proudly the bowl of food. Koru's eyes went wide.  
  
"Today is…the festival?" she asked.  
  
"How can you possibly keep track of time down here?" Bulma asked, dipping the spoon into the marble bowl. On her shoulder, Ghost chirped inquisitively at Koru's form. Koru smiled as she took the spoon from Bulma's hand and ate hungrily. She pointed a claw at Ghost and smiled.  
  
"I haven't seen one of them for a long time." She said quietly. She handed the spoon back to Bulma, who heaped another generous helping onto it.  
  
"I won him today, at the festival." She felt suddenly ashamed. "I'm sorry…I have no right to gloat about having fun while you're down here, do I?"  
  
Koru downed the spoonful and shook her head. "No, I suppose you don't." she looked up and tried to smile. "Don't feel guilty for having fun. Nothing can be done about my situation. I'm used to this now."  
  
"What do you usually eat?" Bulma asked, looking around the darkness. Koru reached behind her and pulled out a mass of tangled weeds and vines hanging. "These." She said flatly. "That's why this food tastes so good. I haven't had real food in two years."  
  
Bulma placed the bowl in front of the cell where Koru could pass the spoon through and eat it. "I'm sorry, but I can't be down here for very much longer."  
  
"Oh…" Koru looked up. "Is someone waiting for you?"  
  
Bulma was taken aback. "Why do you say that?"  
  
"Why else would you be in a hurry?" Koru said.  
  
"Yes. I do have someone…a rather angry someone…waiting for me."  
  
"I'm sorry if I'm complicating your time here." She paused. "Do you like R'haksin?"  
  
"It's too red." Bulma said with a small smile. "There isn't a lot of happiness."  
  
"No." Koru shook her head. "You're right about that." She had finished the bowl and pushed it back to Bulma, who gathered it in her hands.  
  
"Bulma…I don't think you know how much you coming down here means to me."  
  
A pause.  
  
"I'm happy to do it, Koru. You don't deserve this. I wish I could do something…"  
  
Silence hung in the air. Ghost interrupted it, thankfully, with his arrogant chirping. Bulma watched as Koru giggled much like a schoolgirl as Ghost scrambled through the cell bars and into her lap. He chirped happily and nuzzled his furry face into her leathery skin. She watched the tears welling up in the female Storkrins eyes and suddenly had to turn away.  
  
"Keep him." Bulma said. "He can stay with you for a while. He'll keep you company."  
  
"Really?" Koru asked, her eyes shinning.  
  
"Really." Bulma smiled. "I'll come back for him later, all right? You guys just keep each other company and have fun." She stood.  
  
"Thank you, Bulma. Thank you for bringing food, and most of all, talking to me." With her massive muscled arms, Koru hugged Ghost to her chest in a strangely gentle moment. "He's so cute…it's been so long since I've seen anything beautiful…"  
  
"Goodnight, Koru." Bulma said.  
  
"Goodnight." She shuffled back into the darkness, and Bulma listened to the happy chirping as she started up the stairs.  
  
* * *  
  
Vegeta was waiting for her at the top of the entrance, leaning against the cool stone and staring out guardedly over the forest.  
  
"That was longer than two minuets." Was the first thing he said.  
  
Bulma said nothing. She stood mutely beside him, holding the bowl in her limp hands, staring fixedly at her shoes. Vegeta noticed the tension.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
I'm not going to cry I'm not going to cry I'm not going to cry…  
  
Vegeta caught her just in time as she slumped over, but missed the bowl. It shattered on the ground into a million pieces. He hugged her to him awkwardly, not knowing at all what to say or do. Never before had he thought to comfort somebody, nor had he ever had to. Now, this weak human female with pale skin and trembling knees was sobbing into his chest with huge choking breaths. He pulled her up and against him, trying to get her to stand on her legs. She couldn't. They buckled beneath her and he caught her again, this time pulling her off the ground and into his arms. Her head slumped against his chest as she hiccuped with her tears.  
  
"Woman…" he didn't know what had happened below, but he knew it hadn't of been pleasant. He noticed the absence of Ghost. Was she crying because he'd gotten lost, or killed?  
  
"Bulma." He lifted her chin and forced her to look at him. "Did something happen? Where's Ghost?"  
  
She shook her head numbly. He sighed. She was in no shape for conversation.  
  
He started down the path, carrying gently his precious bundle.  
  
* * *  
  
My heart…it hurts. It hurts to take a breath.  
  
I can't see anything…am I blind?  
  
What's happening to me?  
  
Vegeta?  
  
Where are you?  
  
Where am I?  
  
I can't feel my legs…I'm so cold…  
  
Am I dead?  
  
* * *  
  
Vegeta wrung the washcloth out and gently wiped Bulma's forehead with it. He watched her chest rising with labored, uneven breaths. She had worked herself into an emotional frenzy, and her body hadn't been able to take it. He should have known better than to let her go to The Dungeons. He should have.  
  
He sighed and impulsively reached out to take her hand. Is this what I should do? Is this what one being comforted needs?  
  
Her skin was so clammy and cold…like a corpse. Every so often she would moan loudly enough that it hurt his ears. He was so close to her, though. He wasn't going to move away.  
  
The symptoms were progressing.  
  
They still had a month…  
  
Would they make it? Would she die before the Psytrim grew?  
  
No.  
  
Vegeta couldn't deny himself any longer. He had feelings for this woman, feelings that would not be pushed away from his thoughts. He wasn't going to let her die.  
  
He thought of the afternoon that they had spent together. He remember the way she had screamed when the Storkrin food blinked at her, and how it had been so ungraceful, but so…cute.  
  
He looked down at her. You have so much spirit.  
  
Without any warning Bulma suddenly cried out and began thrashing against the bed. Vegeta tightened his hands around her wrists and forced her hands above her head, trying to stop her movements. It did no good. He was amazed at her sudden burst of savage strength. So intense was her need to get away that he had to crawl onto the bed with her and force her to the mattress with his own body weight. Still she struggled, moaning, kicking, her eyes moving frantically beneath her eyelids. He closed his eyes against the pain of seeing her in such a condition. Did she even know what she was trying to get away from? Was she even aware of where she was? Did she know he was here, beside her, trying to help her?  
  
She's dying…  
  
But he knew that, that was why he was here, and he couldn't let that make him any less nurturing for her. With a grunt he forced down nearly all of his body weight into her own, halting her efforts for a few precious seconds. He took a breath and leaned his face down into the crook of her neck, listening to her ragged gasps of air as she fought an inner battle with herself. The Fortricres was attacking her with a savage relentlessness. Vegeta felt suddenly and inexplicably helpless.  
  
It was then that he realized the skin on her neck was scalding hot. He retaliated and stared at the spot where his face had just been. He yanked down the zipper of the front of her suit and stared at the huge, black dots.  
  
Forae.  
  
Vegeta jumped off her now prone form and collected her limp body into his arms. He cringed at the heat that suddenly radiated from her skin.  
  
Woman…hold on…  
  
She was shivering violently by the time he kicked open the bathroom door and set her down against the side of the tub. Diving toward the tap he turned the cold water on high and stood back, watching it fill into the tub. It wouldn't go fast enough. He swore under his breath and turned to Bulma. The body suit was nearly impossible to remove; the sweat on her body was so thick. Finally he slid the slick vinyl material off and flipped it into the corner. He stared down at her body with horrified eyes.  
  
The Forae were everywhere. They covered her neck, her shoulders, her breasts, and her midsection. Clusters of them had joined together to form giant black splotches on her thighs.  
  
The bath was full, now. He carefully gathered her in his arms and slipped her inside, holding her head up with one hand while the other began rubbing frantically at the large black dots that covered her body. His mind raced. He was losing her. She could die, right here, in his arms, if he didn't get rid of the heat quick enough.  
  
Bulma slipped in his grip and he sought to hold onto her and press the coldness against her skin at the same time. It wasn't working. No matter where he propped her she would slip out of his grasp. He held onto her and yanked his shirt over his head with the other. He would have to get in with her. There was no other way that would work quickly enough. The Forae were rapidly spreading. Her fingers clenched and unclenched rapidly, the muscles going into short violent spasms as she struggled to regain dominance over herself.  
  
Vegeta hissed at the contact of the ice against his skin. Slipping in behind her he pulled her against his chest, securing her with his legs. He now had both his hands to work at the Forae.  
  
Don't die on me, woman. Not yet. Don't make me go back there and tell them what happened. You're stronger than this, Bulma. I know you are. You can fight it. Don't let it take you.  
  
Her head rolled from side to side as he frantically scrubbed at the dots, and suddenly she was completely silent. Her breathing no longer ragged and hoarse, he had to strain to hear it. They were sucking her strength dry. They were disappearing, slowly, but for each one that dissipated another formed. Vegeta's ki flared to life in the water, caused by his frustration, and sent water splashing against the sides of the tub and onto the floor. The water instantly heated up. He squeezed his eyes shut and forced himself to calm down. The ki flared lightly then vanished, and the ice returned to the water once more.  
  
The feeling was completely gone in his legs and backside by the time he had rid Bulma of the last three Forae. Her skin now radiated with its usual flawlessness, free of the blackness. Vegeta's chest shuddered with a shaky breath as she slumped against her, his face on the back of her neck. Slowly he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against him. She remained silent. Unmoving. He could hardly detect any signs of life…her pulse…so faint. Her breathing, so shallow.  
  
Had he lost her?  
  
Bulma's eyes fluttered weakly and she opened her mouth, fighting to form words. She was in a bathtub. Someone was behind her. The water stung her skin with frightening coolness.  
  
"Vege…ta?"  
  
She couldn't make herself move. Her body wouldn't listen.  
  
"Am I…dead…?"  
  
"No." his voice was a strained whisper at her back. Strong arms tightened around her stomach. She felt his lips quivering against the back of her neck. Ahead of her, water dripped slowly out of the tap. She watched it, hypnotized, before it wavered and vanished from her vision. Her temples throbbed with a violent pain.  
  
"I wouldn't let you die. You know that…don't you?"  
  
"…Yes…"  
  
Vegeta nodded and further tightened his grasp on her, as though fearing that if he loosened it for even a moment, she would vanish completely from his arms. He listened as her breathing slowly returned to normal, and did something that he had not done in his entire life.  
  
He cried. 


	12. Chapter Twelve: And thus ripples become ...

1 Chapter Twelve: And thus ripples become waves  
  
Chi-Chi stood at the sink of the Capsule Corp. building and silently scrubbed away at the dishes from yesterday's supper. Outside, cicadas buzzed in the warmth of the afternoon. But no sun shone inside the Capsule Corp…  
  
Not these days.  
  
Bulma had been gone for three weeks. For three weeks they had searched her room and belongings for any sort of indication as to why she had left. At first the search had been for a suicide note. Then it became apparent. Oh, it was obvious enough where she had gone. And that was what had Yaumcha in a self-inflicted coma of depression.  
  
She had left with Vegeta.  
  
For her mother, it had been an almost pleasant discovery. She was worried, as any mother would be, but there was a strange lingering smile that seemed to plague her lips whenever anyone spoke of it. She would love to see them get together, wouldn't she? It had always been on her mind. But it shouldn't be. Not now.  
  
Chi-Chi let her hands linger in the warm suds. Why? That was the question. But then 'why' was the only question these days. Why Vegeta? Why was he the one to save her? And why would Bulma go with him?  
  
In a sick way that made her ashamed for thinking it, it would have made things a lot less traumatizing for Yaumcha had she killed herself. Killing herself was an understandable thing. Or even just slightly so, as opposed to going off with Vegeta in space on some reckless mission. The thought that she was alone in space with another man was one thing…that fact that she had obviously wanted to be was another.  
  
Chi-Chi was angry with her friend. She could not deny that. Why had Bulma done that to Yaumcha? Was she truly so self involved that she couldn't have seen the consequences? But then, Bulma was not the only villain. Yaumcha had used her, cheated on her, and ignored her for six long weeks. Now the tables had turned, and Bulma was the shallow one, while Yaumcha lay delicate and emotionally fragile. How had it happened?  
  
She still did not know.  
  
Chi-Chi felt Goku come up behind her, his presence warm and comforting. They had needed a lot of each other these days, it seemed. He plopped his head on her shoulder and sighed into her neck. She closed her eyes and leaned into him.  
  
"I miss her."  
  
"I know. I miss her too."  
  
"Goku," Chi-Chi turned in his arms, abandoning the dishes. "Do you think she's safe with Vegeta? He's just so cold…"  
  
Goku flashed her one of his infamous 'everything will be ok' smiles and it melted her heart. "Vegeta may be a lot of things, Chi-Chi, but he isn't a murderer. Not anymore. He won't hurt Bulma."  
  
Chi-Chi nodded numbly into her husband's shoulder. "This isn't a situation you can magically fix, is it, Goku?"  
  
"No. I'm sorry."  
  
They stood for a long moment, hugging each other in the dim light of the window. Behind them the bubbles popped and dissipated slowly, along with everyone's hopes.  
  
Come back, Bulma.  
  
  
  
  
  
In a tangle of limbs they lay beneath the sheets, completely absorbed in each other, needing each other, fearing each other. Such a strange feeling…  
  
Vegeta felt as thought he was lying beside a time bomb…or a piece of glass. As though at any moment he could come that close to loosing her again, or that if he held her too tight, she would shatter in his arms.  
  
Bulma whimpered and kicked out occasionally, raising his pulse by a few good heartbeats. But the Forae were gone, and her breathing and body temperature had returned too normal. It had been a good three hours since the incident…it had taken that long for both of them to recover.  
  
And then Bulma's eyes fluttered open, halting the breath in Vegeta's throat. They stared at each other, their faces not an inch apart, their arms and legs wrapped around in each.  
  
At the same second they both flushed darkly and stumbled over each other trying to untangle their limbs. Vegeta was suddenly worried. Would she think that he had done something to her?  
  
"What…" Bulma looked down at her nakedness and covered it up with the sheets hurriedly.  
  
"You were…the suit was too sticky to get back on." Vegeta avoided looking directly into her eyes. He took a deep breath. "How do you feel?"  
  
"I'm…not sure." Bulma said quietly. "How long was I out?"  
  
"At least four hours. Maybe five."  
  
"You saved me…didn't you?"  
  
He nodded knowing they were both remembering the bathtub scene only a few hours ago. For him, it had been a terrible and frightening experience in which he realized his feelings for Bulma. For her, it was but a distant and fuzzy memory.  
  
He rose off the bed. "I think it would be best if you stayed in bed for a while. You need rest…it's going to take you a while to recover from that."  
  
Bulma nodded dumbly, hugging herself.  
  
"Are you hungry?"  
  
Bulma smiled and shook her head. "No." she said quietly.  
  
"What're you smiling about?"  
  
"Nothing…"  
  
You're being so nice to me…that's what I'm smiling about…  
  
He shrugged and walked toward the bedroom door where he lingered for a moment, considering his options. At last he left her in peace and retreated to the loneliness of the kitchen where he made himself a coup of coffee and delved deep within himself.  
  
Back in the bedroom Bulma did the same.  
  
* * *  
  
They had four weeks left. Four more weeks until the Psytrim would grow and they could leave. Four weeks had never seemed like such a long time before. But now, someone who he realized he was starting to get attached to was slowly dying before his very eyes, and he had four weeks of watching her suffer to look forward to.  
  
It was the firs time since they had left that he thought about the others back on Earth. He wondered if they had figured it out yet; that Bulma had willingly snuck onto the ship to be with him. He couldn't help but smirk, knowing that Yaumcha would be beside himself with jealously. He chewed silently and mulled over his plate of sandwiches.  
  
Of course, he had no way of knowing that he was in the hospital because of it.  
  
"Vegeta?"  
  
He spun around from where he stood at the window and saw Bulma shuffling into the room behind him. His eyes drifted over her body for a moment and he took in her frail paling frame. Her clothes were beginning to hang off of her shoulders. Or was he just seeing things?  
  
"You shouldn't be out of bed." He frowned.  
  
She stopped in the doorway, a few feet from him, and shook her head. "I feel fine, now." she looked down at the floor and dug her slippered heel into the linoleum. "I wanted to thank you…"  
  
Vegeta turned back to look out the window. "It's nothing."  
  
"You saved my life." She argued. "It wasn't 'nothing'."  
  
Vegeta turned back to her. "Of course I saved your life, woman." His eyes narrowed. "Did you think I would just sit there and watch you die?"  
  
She shook her head mutely. "I guess I don't know…what I thought you would do…" she sighed and bit her bottom lip chewing on it tensely. "You've never done anything nice for anybody and now…all of a sudden you're enduring festivals and practically starving yourself for my sake." She looked up. "When we get back to Earth, you'll have saved my life twice."  
  
He was silent as he listened to her. "I suppose I will have." He agreed.  
  
Bulma left the doorway and advanced quickly to him. "You're avoiding my question, Vegeta." She said, anger in her voice. She stopped beside him and looked defiantly into his eyes. "Answer me."  
  
"I don't know what you're asking."  
  
She glared and tore the cup from his hands, slamming it down on the counter beside him. The action startled him momentarily and for a second he merely gaped at her, his usually witty mind at a loss for words.  
  
"Don't play dumb with me!" she cried. "You always avoid what you don't want to admit! Ever since we've been here I've been trying to get you to say it and you won't!" Vegeta stared at the tears that brimmed on her eyelids. "So I want you to answer me now! I want you to tell me why you're doing this for me! I want to know so that I can understand this stupid feeling I get whenever I'm near you!" she sucked in a breath. "Because I'm tired of loosing sleep over it."  
  
Vegeta, the ship, the universe and everything seemed to come to a standstill as Bulma stood inches from his own face and waited for the words that she needed to hear. He could smell lavender perfume on her neck and he listened to the tiny hiccuping sobs that tried to escape her mouth but were denied. He lifted narrowed ebony eyes to her own. He took a deep breath.  
  
"I don't know."  
  
Bulma stared. For some reason, though he completely deserved one, he didn't get slapped, and it was an even stranger thing that he had been expecting not to. Bulma's huge blue eyes wavered as she narrowed them at him, spilling tears down her cheeks. "Then we're not going to get anywhere." She clenched her fists and stepped back from him. "If you don't know, and I don't know, we're a stalemate, aren't we?" she forced a laugh. "So we'll both stand in our trenches and continue to let this gap lengthen? We're just going to keep running out of them at each other, exchanging blows and getting nothing out of it except pain…"  
  
Vegeta impulsively reached an arm out to her but she flinched back from his touch, her tiny frame quivering. Her head slumped forward and she stared at the ground, tears dripping onto the linoleum, hair hanging down her face.  
  
She looked back up at him. "I hope one of us figures it out." She whispered with another tight-lipped smile. "I'm going to bed. Goodnight…"  
  
"And the truth gets me in shit again…" Vegeta muttered as he watched her flee from the kitchen. Moments later he heard her door slam and the muffled noises of crying. He remembered all the times he had seen this very same scenario happen back on Earth with her and Yaumcha. Yaumcha had always went after her, and the crying had always subsided after mere moments of him being with her. Would the same thing happen, if he were to go after her now?  
  
But I am not her mate.  
  
"Why does it matter to you!?" Vegeta yelled after her, his voice a roar that vibrated in the vast space of the ship. "You're another's property anyway!"  
  
Vegeta barred his teeth and slammed his fist into the kitchen counter, shattering the coffee cup into five porcelain chunks and sending the plate of sandwiches toppling over the edge. They landed at his feet in a pile and he scowled down at them, kicking them viciously out of the way.  
  
He didn't feel like eating anymore. 


	13. Chapter Thirteen: I won't come back with...

1 Chapter Thirteen: I won't come back with love  
  
Crying one's self to sleep is a fairly efficient way of making yourself mentally exhausted. In Bulma's case, it had worked thousands of times before. But now, in the dinghy, cold, downstairs bedroom of her fathers Capsule Corp. Ship, it wasn't working at all.  
  
She kicked out in frustration at the tangled sheets that were winding themselves around her legs. Finally unable to take it anymore, she reached down, tore them off, and flopped back against the bed nearly spent. She knew full well why she wasn't able to get to sleep.  
  
Vegeta.  
  
Her mind was too troubled; spinning in circles. But always it ended up in the same place as she had started, getting her nowhere with no answers. Had he just said that he didn't know? Or was he avoiding her again?  
  
Why do you have to be so distant?  
  
It didn't make any sense. She could tell he had feelings for her. Why else would he have come here to save her? Why else would he have saved her life back in the bathroom with the Forae, and laid with her afterwards for hours, nursing her back to health?  
  
No, of course it didn't make any sense, and it shouldn't. This was Vegeta she was thinking about. The man was a walking talking enigma that had always driven her insane and always would. She moaned in frustrated agony and curled up into a ball on her side. She stared ahead at the dark blue bodysuit slung over the arm of the couch beside her bed. There was more proof; Vegeta obviously had physical feelings for her, or else he wouldn't have gone through the trouble of making such a revealing outfit for her. Oh well, physical feelings were a start.  
  
She blinked, as a new thought poked into her head. Yaumcha. What was he doing, back on Earth? Was he thinking about her? Or was he bar hopping as usual? Hitting on every pretty girl he saw?  
  
She felt an odd smile tugging at the corner of her mouth when it occurred to her that she didn't mind if that was indeed the case. After all, she had left with angry feelings for him, and why not? He had cheated on her.  
  
Cheated.  
  
The word rang through her ears. Such a thing was not forgivable. She wasn't about to forgive him, either. Is this why having such thoughts about Vegeta was easy? Had she lost all of her love for Yaumcha?  
  
What would happen when she and Vegeta returned to Earth? That was the next big question. Was it truly over between her and the lovable warrior who had been on so many adventures with her? Was it time to bury all those hundreds of memories?  
  
She closed her eyes as new tears assaulted her.  
  
  
  
In the cold, bleak whiteness of the Satan City Hospital, a dizzy Yaumcha blinked up at the strange fluorescent lights above his head and felt a wave of panic. Where was he? He smelt medicine.  
  
What the hell is on my arm?  
  
He couldn't move; he felt oddly drugged. What had been done to him? Where was he? Where was Bulma, why wasn't she…  
  
He sucked in a breath. Bulma was gone…that was why he was here…the Hospital?  
  
He sat up and felt a wave of nausea. An IV was hooked up to his right arm, and his left wrist was weighed down with white bandages. He peered at it, lifting it up to the light. What did I do?  
  
"DOCTOR!"  
  
He nearly jumped out of his skin and looked up to see a Nurse staring at him as though he was back from the dead. She was half in, half out of his room, her eyes wide and her mouth fully parted.  
  
Am I?  
  
"Yaumcha!" The Nurse raced to his side, poking and peering at every inch of him with not a whole lot of concealed amazement. "It's…a miracle!" she looked up at him with wide, green eyes. "Completely unexpected!"  
  
"What?" he mumbled. His head hurt.  
  
"Why, you've been in a coma of depression for the past three weeks!" she cried, incredulous. She paused and lowered her voice considerably. "Don't you remember? Do you remember what happened…?"  
  
Yaumcha stared at her, blinking dumbly. "N…no…" he said. His brows furrowed deeply. "I…where's Bulma…did she leave again? Did Vegeta…?"  
  
"Calm down," The Nurse said, worry suddenly in her eyes. "You really don't remember, do you?" Her lean frame bent over him and gently untied the gauze wrappings. Yaumcha stared at the three criss-crossing lines that spread diagonally and vertically across his wrist. The cuts were deep and startlingly red against the whiteness of the hospital sheets.  
  
"I…"  
  
The Nurse pursed her lips into a sympathetic smile. "You see? Now, we have to contact your family and friends. Don't worry, we'll get you back on your feet soon. They'll be so happy to hear that you're out of it."  
  
Yaumcha wasn't listening. He was too busy fainting.  
  
  
  
Vegeta stood outside her bedroom door, listening to the soft whimpering and occasional little sobs. He willed himself to open the door. His hand was inches from the doorknob…why couldn't he just open it?  
  
He was disgusted with himself. He could defeat some of the Universes strongest warriors, he could do nine thousand one-finger push-ups and he could lift busses, but he couldn't reach out and open a simple doorknob.  
  
What in the hell was wrong with him?  
  
He growled softly. He knew. It was this weak little female in the room beyond the door. This weak little female who was crying because of him. Had he come here to apologize? Why had he come here?  
  
Open the fucking door, Vegeta.  
  
He did. It was pitch black inside the room, but instantly his sharp Sayajin eyes made out the tiny form curled up on the bed. She didn't move at the sound of the door opening, nor did she move when he padded softly across the carpet and seated himself in the chair directly across from her bed. He could see her eyes flutter as she tried to watch him while appearing asleep. He smirked inwardly.  
  
"What are you doing here?"  
  
"So you are awake."  
  
"I am now."  
  
He nodded, settling back in the chair. He crossed his arms over his chest. The whole room smelled of her; pairs of carelessly tossed underwear lay at his feet and he tried to ignore the intoxicating scent of her womanhood that coated them. He was leaning against the cool vinyl bodysuit of hers, and leaned forward, away from it. He shouldn't let it, but it gave him bad memories that he didn't want to remember. There wasn't any way of getting away from it; she was going to be wearing it for the next four weeks. He was being foolish.  
  
"How do you feel?" he asked.  
  
Her dark form shrugged beneath the blankets. "My stomach hurts, and I'm cold." She said with a shaky sigh, obviously from her crying. "I miss Ghost…" she grabbed fistfuls of the sheets and curled them up into her chin.  
  
"Isn't he with Koru?"  
  
"Yes. I'm happy that he'll be making her happy…but I miss him."  
  
Vegeta couldn't understand how a person could miss something so ugly. "You'll see him tomorrow." He said, trying not to let the annoyance creep into his voice. Judging by the sudden silence in the air he hadn't done a good job.  
  
"Did you come here to chastise me?" Bulma said.  
  
He frowned. "No." he said. "I'm not sure why I came here, to tell the truth. I thought you might be feeling ill…"  
  
"Well, I appreciate your concern. But as long as you're going to keep avoiding my question, then you can leave, unless you've got an answer now."  
  
There was no mistaking the intentional coolness in her voice. He took the hint and rose from the chair.  
  
"Then I'll leave." He said quietly.  
  
She didn't say a word as he left the room, but she definitely wanted to.  
  
* * *  
  
Vegeta froze when he heard the tap running in the kitchen. She was still awake, that was no surprise. He was to, of course. He had been lying awake listening to her crying subside below.  
  
Why do women cry so much? He rolled onto his side, frowning. I wonder what its like, to have that much emotion.  
  
The tap shut off with a squeak and he heard her feet padding around the perimeter of the kitchen. Plates clinked in their cupboards as she made herself a midnight snack. Vegeta listened to hear eating for a while.  
  
Did I really hurt her that much? He supposed, after a careful degree of thought that he had been wrong to call her 'another's property' and supposed that he was, in a way, deserving of her cold words.  
  
The plates clinked again as they were placed in the sink. The tap ran for a few more minuets, and then he heard her feet stop in the middle of the room. He waited. She seemed to be deliberating something. He could hear her confused noises as she tried to make whatever decision she was trying to make. Then, unexpectedly, her feet began walking in his direction. He closed his eyes and deepened his breathing just in time as she opened his door quietly.  
  
"Vegeta…?" it was a faint whisper.  
  
He continued his deep breathing. What if she needs something? Should I answer her?  
  
Bulma remained standing in the doorway. His heart thundered in his chest; what was she doing? He desperately wanted her to get it over with, whatever it was. But something deep inside of him loved the fact that she was simply standing, looking at him while he slept.  
  
Then, before he could even react, Bulma had slipped into the covers beside him and wrapped her arms hesitantly around his middle, pulling her small body against his. Vegeta's entire body tensed from head to toe. Never before had anyone been this close to him. Never before had he been touched by anyone other than in anger. Now, as she snuggled into him comfortably, he had no idea how to feel or what to do. He could feel her breath on his neck as she breathed; it smelled of goldfish crackers. Her fingers curled around the elastic waistband of his black boxers and he felt a sudden warmth in his groin as her pelvis nudged itself against his backside.  
  
Is this a sexual move, on her part? His mind raced. But no, although her touches could have been considered lustful, they somehow seemed devoid of any sexual intention. The way she breathed deeply, the way her body was totally relaxed against his signaled that perhaps she was merely sleeping. Vegetas hand cautiously moved up and he grazed her fingertips with his own. They jerked slightly in surprise. So she was awake. He could hear the startled noise in the back of her throat, but still she made no move to leave or advance on him. Vegeta's fingers reached up again and stroked the soft indent between her index finger and thumb. He could hear her faint smile behind him.  
  
"Bulma…?"  
  
"Mmm."  
  
"What does this mean?"  
  
"It means that I'm lonely and cold down there, and I can't sleep." She murmured into his neck. Her breath tickled his ear. "Does it bother you?" her voice was sleepy.  
  
"No." he said, trying to fight back a smile. "No, it doesn't."  
  
"Good." She sighed and snuggled closer to him, her arm draped lazily over his hip. "So shut up and go to sleep."  
  
He smirked.  
  
You've come out of your trench. It is my turn, now? 


	14. Chapter Fourteen: Where is Ghost?

1 Chapter Fourteen: Where is Ghost?  
  
  
  
Yaumcha looked up as Goku, Chi-Chi, and Mr. and Mrs. Briefs walked into the hospital room. Self-consciously he hid his left wrist beneath the bedsheets and tried to force a smile.  
  
"You're ok!" Goku slapped him a bit harder than he would have liked on the shoulder. Yaumcha rubbed the spot gingerly while Chi-Chi and Mrs. Briefs pulled two chairs up beside the bed. Mrs. Briefs took Yaumcha's free hand in her own and gave him a worried look.  
  
"Yaumcha, honey. We're so glad you're ok." She said, rubbing her hand over his own. "How do you feel?"  
  
Yaumcha snorted. "Like shit." He caught himself and blushed. "S-sorry…I just…" he trailed off and an uncomfortable silence filled the area. A Nurse poked her head in and approached the bed, shooing Goku's bulk to the side as she fiddled around with Yaumcha's I.V. He sucked a breath in as she moved the needle slowly, mumbled something, and stood to write something on her clipboard.  
  
"Looks like you're monitored heavily here." Chi-Chi said softly, watching the Nurse as she scribbled away with her pencil. "I'm just glad you're all right. Everyone was so worried."  
  
The Nurse smiled quickly at Yaumcha, strictly professionally, and leaned over to take his left wrist. Yaumcha tried to pull it away but she snatched it up anyway. Everyone stared at the three deep cuts as the Nurse dabbed a them with an alcoholic swab.  
  
"I told you not to remove the dressing." She said sternly. "It will become infected."  
  
Chi-Chi stared. She wondered how Bulma would feel if she knew this had happened. Would she still care? She caught the flushed look on Yaumcha's face and tried to smile reassuringly at him.  
  
"It'll be ok." She said gently.  
  
He nodded, looking terribly wounded. "Thanks for coming here, you guys." He mumbled. The Nurse left, and he instantly shoved his freshly bandaged hand under the bed sheets again, looking abashed.  
  
Mrs. Briefs had averted her eyes from the cuts and thankfully her husband and Goku had done the same. "Of course we came, Yaumcha. Did you think we wouldn't? Oh my, you certainty can be a fool sometimes." She caught herself and giggled nervously. "But never mind me. When are they letting you out?"  
  
Letting you out. Yaumcha repeated the words in his mind. She makes it sound like a psyche ward.  
  
He scratched at the back of his neck. "In three days." He said. "The Doctors said they still have some tests to do before they can release me."  
  
Chi-Chi and the others nodded. Does he even remember what he did? She darted a quick glance at him. Does he know he tried to kill himself? Does he care?  
  
Judging by the defeated expression on his face, Chi-Chi assumed he didn't.  
  
  
  
Vegeta stretched and sighed pleasurably, very aware of the female body he was pressed up against. Sometime in the middle of the night, they had switched positions in the bed, and Vegeta had ended up behind her. Now, as he shifted his weight on the mattress and looked down the length of her sleeping body, he couldn't help the immediate reaction at feeling her firm behind pressing into his groin. Not knowing what would happen if she felt the straining organ digging into her and not wanting to chance the consequences, he regretfully moved away. Bulma instantly moaned, her eyelashes fluttering as she slowly awakened. The immediate absence of contact left a cold sensation on her back, and she propped herself up on one elbow, straining her neck to look over her shoulder. Vegeta looked back at her with a mixture of apprehension and affection.  
  
"Good morning." He said, choosing his words carefully.  
  
Bulma blushed hotly and pulled herself into a sitting position, the sheets falling away from her body. She wore a white T-shirt sporting the logo of some baseball team. Yawning, she slowly inched off the bed, as though unsure as to how she should react to waking up in the same bed with him. She had no idea Vegeta was feeling the same way.  
  
"Good morning…" she replied, hardly audible. "What time is it?"  
  
Vegeta rolled over, the sheets slipping down enough to reveal a good portion of the enormous bulge under the sheets. Bulma drew back and felt her face burning even further.  
  
He rolled back over. "10:15." He said. "We slept in." he looked down at himself, yanked the sheets up, and also pulled himself into a sitting position. "I guess we just slept really well." he added, hoping to get some answers as to what had happened last night.  
  
Bulma understood the meaning in his words. "If you want answers, I don't have the ones you're looking for." She said softly. "I told you why I slept with you. I couldn't sleep, and I was cold." She stumbled over her words. "I was just lonely."  
  
Vegeta nodded, a frown forming on his face as he looked away. "So you used me."  
  
"I didn't use you." She said evenly. "I did nothing sexual to you, Vegeta. There was nothing sexual about me crawling in your bed with you." She shot him a dark look. "I wasn't looking for a lay."  
  
"I didn't say you were."  
  
She rose from the bed, taking the sheets with her, leaving Vegeta in a complete state of nakedness. He made no move to cover himself up, as his erection was vanishing anyway as a result of his sudden anger.  
  
"Is that it?" he said, rising from the bed. Bulma finished wrapping the sheets around herself and glared over her shoulder at him. "Are you that upset that I didn't jump you in a sexual frenzy?"  
  
He snorted and shook his head. "Why would I want a diseased thing like you, anyway?" he spat. "Get out of my room."  
  
Bulma looked as though she had been slapped. Vegeta instantly regretted the words the second they were out of his mouth, but his swollen pride would not allow him to take them back. She crossed the length of the room in three short steps, reared her hand back, and slapped him across the face as hard as she could. Giving him one final look, she stalked from the room, her hands clenched into shaking fists, her eyes brimming with new tears.  
  
Vegeta slowly sat down on the edge of his bed and stared into his lap.  
  
I blew it.  
  
* * *  
  
An hour later, Vegeta looked over his shoulder as he heard Bulma shrugging on her jacket at the ships door.  
  
"Where are you going?" he growled.  
  
"Don't talk to me." She said icily.  
  
The door slammed behind her with violent force.  
  
* * *  
  
Vegeta stalked out the door moments later, materializing out of the red mist that hung low over R'haksin, wraith like. Being not too terribly surprised Bulma managed not to scream. She didn't, however, make any effort to hide the glare from his face.  
  
"Why are you following me?" she set her jaw and walked quicker, but Vegeta kept pace effortlessly beside her.  
  
"Where are you going?"  
  
"I don't have to tell you jack shit." She spat. She yelped when Vegeta's hand thrust out and grabbed her wrist, yanking her hard against his molded body. "When I've come all this way to save your ass, yes, I'm afraid you do. I'm not letting you endanger your life further with any more of your stupid ideas."  
  
Bulma tore her arm out of his grip. "I'm going to get Ghost. He's probably scared and hungry."  
  
"This is about that stupid thing?" Vegeta cried. "This is the last time, Bulma, I swear it."  
  
"Whatever." She mumbled. "And he's not stupid. If anybody's stupid, its you."  
  
"Why is that."  
  
"You don't say things like that to a lady." She said with a curled lip.  
  
"Lady?" he snorted. "I wouldn't go that far."  
  
They walked on in silence, Vegeta wondering why he had allowed her to go back to The Dungeons, and Bulma wondering why she hadn't slapped him again. If she doesn't get that fuzzy little shit head back, I won't quit hearing about it until the end of time. Was that the reason? To spare himself any further annoyance from the weak female?  
  
He looked up when he realized they were getting close. The usual Storkrin guard that was on duty near the pathway was, surprisingly, not around. Vegeta saw the instant look of worry of Bulma's face when she noticed this.  
  
"Why do you think he's gone?" she whispered as they cautiously approached the entrance. "A trap?"  
  
"A trap? What would they set a trap for?" Nevertheless, Vegeta crouched down on all knees and slowly inspected the entrance carefully, grasping at vines and poking cautiously at suspicious looking holes and rocks. Satisfied, he stood, brushed himself off, and turned to Bulma.  
  
She looked at him blankly. "Are you just going to stay here? Or are you coming with me?"  
  
Vegeta took a quick glance around. If anybody was going to attack them, it didn't matter if it was inside or outside, they wouldn't get much of a hit in on Vegeta. He shrugged and ducked low into the stairs. "I'll come."  
  
Bulma waited a moment or two, then followed him.  
  
* * *  
  
Koru pulled herself up short into the darkness of her cell when she smelled the unfamiliar scent approaching her. This was not Bulma. Nor was it a Storkrin…or human. As quietly as she could, she dug her giant heels into the concrete and pushed herself back up against the slimy walls. Her heart thudded at the possibility of a savior.  
  
Vegeta had no need of light; his eyes saw fine in the blackness. Sniffing, he ignored the stench to the left and instead focused on the intense scent of someone in obvious distress to his right. He drew himself up to the bars and peered in, seeing nothing but a hulking black form. He narrowed his eyes, trying his best to see. He slipped his hand out and grasped the bars, testing their strength. They were strong, strong enough to contain a female Storkrin, even if it was Koru, but nothing he couldn't pry open if need be.  
  
Then, suddenly, 268 pounds of enraged Storkrin female slammed itself into the bars with such force that Vegeta toppled backward. Instantly he was on his feet, his Ki flared around him in a glowing aura. In the golden light, a pair of red eyes coldly calculated a pair of ebony eyes, and they regarded each other for some time before the worried form of Bulma came up behind the Prince, calming him down with hushed words.  
  
"Koru!" she ran up the cell, and the Storkrin backed down. "Sayajin." She said distastefully. "I thought it smelled Sayajin."  
  
Bulma looked over her shoulder at Vegeta, who had drawn himself up to his full less than impressive height, scowling, massive arms crossed.  
  
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have let him come down before me." Bulma saw, for the first time, a dangerous anger in Koru's eyes that instantly chilled her. "He…he wouldn't have hurt you."  
  
"I was protecting myself." Koru said, a bit annoyed. She paused. "Are you here for….Ghost?"  
  
Bulma nodded, and Koru turned, an odd look suddenly on her face.  
  
"Bulma, I…I'm sorry. When I was sleeping, he…I tried calling him but…"  
  
Bulma felt a leap of panic rise in her throat. "He's lost?" she almost cried, trying to keep her voice under control.  
  
"He was gone when I woke up a while ago. Bulma, I'm sorry."  
  
Bulma shook her head. "Its all right, Koru. We'll find him."  
  
"We will?" Vegeta sputtered. Bulma glared daggers at him.  
  
Koru watched them for a moment and then turned her eyes back to Vegeta. "Who is he?" she asked quietly. "He looks familiar…"  
  
Vegeta smirked and walked up to the cell, and Bulma couldn't help but notice the way Koru did not flinch or step back when he placed his sneering face right up to her own. "I would have thought you would have remembered me." He said. "Prince Vegeta of Vegetasei. Destroyer of 200 of your kind."  
  
Koru stared back, unimpressed. "It rings a bell. Was that before or after you begged us to fix your space pod?"  
  
Bulma pushed Vegeta away with an arm and stepped in-between them. "Stop it, Vegeta." She said sourly.  
  
Koru and Vegeta stared each other down for a moment or two longer before Vegeta finally broke the contact with a disgusted snort.  
  
"Thank you for looking after Ghost for me, Koru." Bulma said as Vegeta stalked away and back up the stairs. "I hope he made you happy…I hope you guys had fun."  
  
Sad red eyes lowered to the floor. "I didn't do a very good job of looking after him for you. I hope you find him…"  
  
"We will."  
  
Koru watched Vegeta's form retreating, seeming not to hear her friend's words. "Why are you with him?"  
  
Bulma sighed. "It's a long story. But right now I'd rather not be with him."  
  
"He's very strong."  
  
"How can you tell? Besides the build, I mean…"  
  
Koru shrugged half-heartedly. "I sense it in him. I could feel his raw energy through the bars of my cell when he touched them. She suddenly looked oddly hopeful. "He's so strong…he could get me out…in a second."  
  
Bulma stared back at her. "I…"  
  
Koru shook her head. "No, I'm sorry Bulma. I have no right to put such a weight on you. This has been as such for three years. I cannot ask you to change what cannot be helped."  
  
"What if it could be helped?" Bulma whispered in the dank darkness.  
  
Koru said nothing, and slumped back into her cell. It was signal enough that the conversation had come to an end. But Bulma still could not help but feel awful when she heard her imprisoned friend saying that she was sorry as she walked up the stairs.  
  
Halfway up, she began to cry.  
  
* * * 


	15. Chapter Fifteen: 10 ways to torment a Sa...

1 Chapter Fifteen: 10 ways to torment a Sayajin Prince  
  
***  
  
Vegeta and Bulma stood alone at the top of the entrance, the humid air blowing wind in their faces, the strange redness of the sky darkening to a deep purple. Neither said a thing as they both pondered their own private thoughts. At last, Bulma turned to Vegeta and broke the silence.  
  
"We have to find him."  
  
Vegeta scowled as deeply as he could.  
  
"I don't need your help." She said firmly in response to his scowl.  
  
He turned to her and rolled his eyes sardonically. "Right. I'm sure you know every nook and cranny of R'haksin, don't you? I'm sure you know what not to touch and what to avoid." He looked out over the vast, sloping red hills and sharp jagged mountain peaks. "What would you do if you were to fall into a deep crevasse?"  
  
"Point taken." She said shortly. "Will you help me, then? As much as you hate the 'idiot lint ball', will you help me find him?"  
  
"Only because I know you wont shut the hell up about it until we do."  
  
"Thanks, I think."  
  
"So, exactly where are we supposed to start looking, then?" he asked. "Do you have any idea how large this Planet is? He could be anywhere. Anywhere. For all we know, he could be dead already. What the hell are the odds of finding an eight inch ball of belly fuzz in such a huge wasteland as this?"  
  
Bulma shrugged helplessly. "I don't know!" she cried. "I don't assume he would have gone far. And from the sort of creature he is, he was probably afraid, and went in search of a dark, quiet place. He wouldn't be wandering around in the open."  
  
Vegeta snorted, although he agreed entirely. "You're right, I suppose." He mumbled. "So then where would a dark quiet place be?"  
  
"I don't know; you're the one who's been here before. You know more about it than I do."  
  
Vegeta waved a hand over his shoulder and started walking right. He was starting toward a hilly path that seemed to stretch on forever.  
  
"I think I might know." He said over his shoulder. "Let's go."  
  
* * *  
  
Bulma halted in front of the cave entrance, shaking her head profusely. "Nah-uh." She said. "No way am I setting foot in there." She warily eyed the blackened rock and the great, gaping maw that served as the cave's 'front door'. Wind whistled out of it at alarming speeds, creating a shrill high-pitched wail that made her legs feel like Jell-O.  
  
Vegeta turned and scoffed at her. "Really, woman. One second you're all frantic about finding this little shit head, and then the second something scary steps in your way, you're ready to forget all about him."  
  
Bulma stepped forward on the red grass and placed a hand on the cool jagged stone of the cave, running her hands over it. She peered inside but only an impenetrable darkness stared back.  
  
"I am not going to forget all about him." she said. "It's just…we don't know what kind of slimy things are in there!"  
  
Vegeta rolled his eyes. "What is it with women and everything being 'slimy'?" he folded his arms. "For Kami's sake, I'm going to be with you."  
  
"You say it as though that solves everything."  
  
"Doesn't it, though?" he smirked. "There's nothing in there that could possibly harm me. If you're worrying about getting eaten or something foolish like that, then you can stop. I wont let anything like that happen." He paused. "Unless of course, you'd be as stupid as to wander from my side."  
  
"I wouldn't do that!" Bulma cried defensively. "Do you think I'd be brave enough to?"  
  
A snort. "No."  
  
So, with that settled, the strangely inseparable (and angry) pair walked forward into the night of the cave.  
  
* * *  
  
Ghost chirped uneasily and fluffed his fin-arms in the air, trying to bring some warmth into his tiny body. He had wandered out of Koru's arms sometime during their time together, and had wandered out of The Dungeons, up a hill, and into a cave. Curious, he had wandered deep into the cave's passageways and had finally become lost. Afraid and alone, he curled up into a ball and wedged himself into a corner. Somewhere deep inside his mind he thought absently of the blurred, black and white figure that he had learned to associate with his mother. Bits and pieces of scent color and sound drifted through his small mind and made an affirmation; he was without the one he knew as mother. He was entirely alone, and had no way of knowing how to escape from the darkness.  
  
Entirely alone.  
  
Except for the small shuffling noise in the corner.  
  
Ghost perked his ears up and chirped inquisitively. What was that noise? His tiny brain had no way of asserting if it was a good or bad noise, and as any curious animal would do, Ghost waddled cautiously out of his corner and toward the source of the noise. His little nostrils filled with scent, and tiny particles in his brain told him the scent was animal, as was he, and young and male as was he. He drew a tiny breath and chirped a greeting. A small grunt sounded back. He wiggled his little arms in happiness.  
  
He chirped and poked his head around the corner.  
  
* * *  
  
Bulma hated the cave seconds upon entering it. Which had been, by now, a good 20 minuets.  
  
Her first reason being that because of how insanely creepy and dark it was she was forced to walk as closely as she could to Vegeta, who she was positively furious with. Her second reason being that she had no way of knowing who or what was dwelling inside. The third reason being that it was terribly cold. She rubbed her hands up and down her arms frantically in an attempt to keep warm. The bodysuit did not do much to conserve heat.  
  
Now they were so far and deep into the cave that Bulma was starting to wonder if they were going to get out. Judging by Vegeta's calm exterior she didn't think there was much to worry about; he seemed to know exactly where he was going, as he chose one direction to the next.  
  
"Vegeta…"  
  
"Hn?" Vegeta's eyes flashed to hers in the darkness.  
  
"Do you…think you could…I don't know…smell him out?"  
  
Vegeta slowed. "Woman, I'm not a bloodhound."  
  
"I know. I just thought that with your 'superb Sayajin senses' you would be able to smell if he was here or not." Bulma didn't try to hide the sarcasm from her voice, and Vegeta knew it. Sending her a dark look, he ignored her and they continued walking on in determined silence.  
  
After a few moments Bulma's sharp ears picked up something. She swiveled and turned in the direction of the noise. "Wait…" Bulma stopped. "Did you hear that?"  
  
Vegeta came to a stop beside her. He listened for a moment then shook his head. "No. What?"  
  
Bulma shushed him with a finger to her lips. To her left, she could hear the absolute faintest chirping sounds. Ghost! Could it be him? A hopeful smile spread across her face.  
  
"You can't hear that?" she began walking in the direction of the chirping. "I think its him!"  
  
"Woman, don't!" Vegeta called after her but she had already started running toward the noise, hopeful that it was her beloved fur ball. Her form faded into the darkness within seconds, and he cursed loudly and gave chase.  
  
It didn't take long for him to find her.  
  
A short scream burst from Bulma's lips as she came hurtling out of the darkness, Ghost clutched to her chest, his gigantic blue eyes as wide as saucers. She slammed into Vegeta, her body shaking, her eyes wide with fright.  
  
"What!?" he cried, looking into the darkness after her. He ducked when an enormous clawed paw swung out of the darkness straight at his head. He ducked and yanked Bulma down with him, the current of air from the attack rushing over their heads. He straightened after a second's pause and pushed her ahead of him, telling her to run.  
  
"What the hell is it?" she screamed. Ghost was madly digging at her, as though trying to make himself disappear entirely from view within her arms. A thunderous roar filled the cave, so loud that Bulma nearly dropped Ghost to cover her ears. A pair of slitted, orange eyes peered out of the darkness and the rock beneath her feet trembled as the beast stepped toward them.  
  
"A Roctorn!" Vegeta yelled over the roar. He ran over to Bulma and extended his hands, his golden Ki flaring to life. Bulma watched as an energy forecfeild materialized around the three of them. He stood, ebony eyes searching the blackness. Bulma cowered behind his back, her tiny Cheribulum whimpering in her arms.  
  
The aforementioned 'Roctorn' stepped out of the shadows, it's massive grizzled head bent low to the ground. At first sight Bulma estimated it to be at least seven feet tall. It stood on all fours, its body and features that of a giant cat. Its fur was dark gray and covered with the same thing Koru's skin was; tiny clusters of rock-like formations. Its muzzled split wide and pristinely white fangs barred as it raised its head and gave another ear splitting roar. One giant paw swept out and stamped the floor in challenge. It was absolutely massive.  
  
"Don't worry." Vegeta said quickly to her. "This will be over and done with before you can blink…" Bulma watched as he extended both his hands, spread his arms, and yelled loudly, sending blast after blast of rapid Ki fire. The cave lit up with a golden light and both Bulma and Ghost shrieked, shielding their eyes from the blinding rays. Hundreds of tiny explosions smashed against the great beast, hiding it from view in a reddened gold cloud. Rocks and debris tumbled from the cave ceiling and hit the energy forcefield, vaporizing in seconds.  
  
Vegeta lowered his hands and encouraged the two behind him to step back a bit. They did not need much encouragement. When the cloud lowered, Bulma was surprised to see the gargantuan Roctorn still standing, though slightly bent, its head lowered protectively to the floor. It still stood exactly where it had before. Bulma frowned. What was it doing? Why hadn't it moved out of the way?  
  
The Roctorn's body was wounded and bleeding profusely in many different areas, and Bulma watched its flanks as they quivered with the exertion of standing up to the Sayajin Princes massive blasts. Its sheer size was what enabled it to survive the attack. She doubted it would survive another. She almost felt sorry for it and for a fleeting second, pondered merely turning and running and leaving the thing to its peace and territory. She knew Vegeta would have none of it. Behind the Roctorn, six split tails lashed out angrily from its backside, sending showers of dust up from the cave floor. It roared again, its orange eyes searching for a potential opening, and then, with startlingly powerful force, it lunged straight for them.  
  
Bulma squeezed her eyes shut and kneeled behind Vegeta as a brilliant light lit up the cave and she heard the infamous attack words; Final Flash. The Roctorn was doomed. The floor shuddered and Vegeta staggered back a step, bumping into her, as thousands of rocks tumbled down on them, breaking through the forcefeild as Vegeta lost control over it. She felt his body cover her own as she was forced to the floor, nearly crushing Ghost under the combined weight of her and the Sayajin. Vegeta grunted as rock after rock hit his unprotected back but he held up, refusing to budge. The Roctorn's body thudded lifelessly to the floor in front of them, nearly indistinguishable now. It was a wonder it had not been completely vaporized by the blast. At last the rocks ceased to fall, and Bulma felt Vegeta's weight lift off her own as he rose, shakily, to the floor.  
  
"Kami…" Bulma breathed as she stared at the mangled body. Vegeta staggered forward a step, oblivious to the already black bruises under his shirt and the blood pouring from his shoulders. He seemed to be in no pain, and Bulma didn't find it surprising. He stretched his arms and rotated his shoulders, his face a mask of sweat and surprise. They both stared down at the body, their chests heaving. Bulma tried to comfort the nearly hysterical Ghost, who was still whimpering and digging frantically to get away from the scene.  
  
Vegeta wiped the back of his hand across his mouth, clearing the sweat from his lips and chin. He glared. "Now do you see why that idiot fuzz bucket was a bad idea?"  
  
Bulma didn't say anything. The smell of the quickly congealing blood on the cave floor was making her stomach waver.  
  
"Are you all right? Does your back hurt?" she asked cautiously. Anyone else would have been crushed. Vegeta would merely call it a 'scratch'.  
  
Vegeta shook his head disgustedly and was about to walk away when a sudden tiny grunting from behind him stopped him in his tracks. He turned around and looked down at his feet, where a tiny infant Roctorn was stumbling forward blindly on unsteady legs.  
  
"Oh…" Bulma covered her hand with her mouth.  
  
The Roctorn had been protecting its young.  
  
One after another, ten infant Roctorns waddled and stumbled out of the darkness, their nearly blind eyes and soft, pinkish skin showing the three who stood before them how utterly defenseless and young they were. They were no bigger than Ghost, who watched them all with growing curiosity. They must have been what he had been playing with when Bulma had found him. She felt her eyes tearing up when she watched the infants crawl toward their mother, little noses sniffing, tiny feet pawing tentatively at her still form. When she did not move they sat down on their haunches and stared at her, their heads bobbing with the exertion of so much movement. The smallest of the ten began whimpering, its voice raising to a high pitched whine as it tossed its tiny head back and quite literally cried its loss to whoever cared to hear.  
  
Vegeta watched them for a moment before turning to her with his expression of indifference. "Let's go." He said quietly.  
  
"GO?" Bulma cried. "What the hell do you mean, 'let's go'? We can't just leave them here!"  
  
Vegeta glowered dangerously. "Yes we can, woman, and that's exactly what we're going to do."  
  
Bulma shot him back a glare with equal hate and walked toward them. "Then you go. I'm…" she paused.  
  
"Yes," Vegeta stepped toward her. "I'm interested. Let's hear it. What are you going to do with these ten monstrosities?"  
  
Bulma stared down at their tiny forms as they sniffed once more at their mother and then clustered around her feet, pawing and mewling. She swallowed hard. "I don't know." She whispered. "Please…we can't leave them…they'll die."  
  
Vegeta growled. "Woman, there is absolutely nothing we can do about this. Either I kill them and put them out of their misery, or we leave them here."  
  
"You're not killing them." she said with clear finality.  
  
"Then what?" he snarled. He looked down when one of the Roctorns crawled up to his boot and nuzzled its face into it, a deep growling sound gurgling from the back of its throat. It jumped back, much livelier than its siblings, and swiped a tiny paw at Vegetas boot. Vegeta felt a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth and tried hard to ignore it.  
  
Bulma caught it.  
  
"We can take them back," she said quickly, her mind racing as to what she could say to convince him. "We could take them back to the ship and raise them there, and then when we leave, we can either take them back here or take them somewhere else. They'll be old enough to survive by then."  
  
Vegeta crossed his arms and shook his head. "Bulma, do you have any idea how fast these things grow?"  
  
"Exactly!" she cried, "They'll be big enough within weeks!" she bent down and extended her hand for the infants to sniff. They clustered around her, standing on their hind legs and balancing their forelegs on her fingers. Some fell over and rolled over backward, mewling frantically. Bulma giggled. "Their whiskers tickle."  
  
She stood abruptly and looked at him with pleading eyes. "Vegeta. Please. Just until they're old enough. You just said that wont take long. We can't leave them here to die! They haven't even begun to live yet."  
  
More growling and snarling. "Ten baby Roctorns and a Cheribulum. The ship will stink within minuets. You can say goodbye to sleep for the next few weeks."  
  
Bulma smiled. "Does that mean yes?"  
  
Vegeta faltered. "No, I mean-  
  
Bulma grinned hugely and bent to scoop some of the Roctorns in her arms. Ghost scrambled up onto her shoulder in fright, staring down with huge blue eyes at the strange mewling passengers in his 'mothers' arms. The Roctorn that had swiped at Vegeta's boot growled softly and lunged and feinted at Ghost, who chirped loudly and ducked behind Bulma's neck.  
  
Vegeta smirked. "I like that one already."  
  
Bulma walked by him with her mewling armload and smiled. "Thank you." She said. "I just might forgive you now."  
  
He snorted, and bent to scoop his own armload of the Roctorns up. "I seriously don't know why I let you do this." He snarled his face darker than the darkest raincloud. Bulma shrugged.  
  
"You know what, Vegeta? Neither do I." 


	16. Chapter Sixteen: Spider meets Strifelon

Chapter Sixteen: Spider meets Strifelon  
  
Authors Notes: I am having so much fun with this fic, and for all of you who are really enjoying it, you can be assured that there will be many many more chapters ^_^ I'm really interested in knowing how people feel about me writing a tale about Koru's life and how she came to end up in The Dungeons (after I am done this fic of course) Does that sound cool? Please tell me if you think so! It's just an idea…but I really like Koru's character.  
  
Also: A person on Fanfiction.net (where this fic is also posted, as well as on Media Miner) brought to my attention the fact that Vegeta is five years of age when Vegetasei is destroyed, which would make him quite young when he landed on R'haksin. However, I made him 15. This is because, although we all know a five-year-old Vegeta is quite capable of flying a Sayajin space pod and destroying giant Storkrins, I wanted him to be older for that. It may be that this messes up the entire timeline and whatnot of DBZ, but I am prone to changing whatever I feel like changing when I write Bulma/Vegeta fics. Could this fic be an alternate Universe? Perhaps. Perhaps it is just that it's just a 'Jesa Jaisai' fic where many things get messed up. I'm just hoping you're all still enjoying it despite that little age difference thingie.  
  
Also: (Don't worry this is the last 'also') Some of you are wondering why Vegeta is being such a softie in this fanfic. Well for one, I like softies, and two, there are too many B/V Fics out there where he is almost too mean for anyone's liking. I hope you all like the slight change. Perhaps it's something in the R'haksin air, ne? ^_^  
  
Anyway, enjoy the chapter! I will try for some happier ones from now on, OK?  
  
  
  
Bulma realized her first mistake in brining the Roctorn infants into the Capsule Ship was that she had no idea what to feed them. After setting them down in the bathtub where she could keep track of them all, she filled it up with an inch of lukewarm water to soothe their rattled nerves. Ghost sat perched on the edge of the bathtub, watching the tiny creatures with curious blue eyes. She watched them splashing and mewling around in the water for a while before she noticed Vegeta standing in the doorway.  
  
"How does your back feel?" she noticed with some disgust that he had not yet changed his shirt or cleaned the wounds. She still did not know how to react to him saving her life AGAIN. She sighed, supposing she would never figure the man out.  
  
He shrugged, eyeing the Roctorns. "So have you decided what to feed them yet?"  
  
She shook her head. "I thought warm milk…because…" she shrugged and trailed off. "Don't all newborn animals drink their mothers milk the first few weeks?"  
  
"Hn." He nodded.  
  
"So then we should bottle feed them."  
  
Vegeta glared. "I don't exactly have any 'baby bottles' stored around here." He caught her intent. "And don't you dare ask me to bottle-feed a bunch of mangy babies." He spat. "I still can't believe I let you do this."  
  
He came down and sat down beside her on the edge of the bathtub as they both watched the Roctorn babies. The red and black speckled one, who Vegeta was secretly trying to find a name for, was charging around the perimeter of the tub, swatting and batting mischievously at his brothers and sisters. He sat back on his haunches, opened his tiny mouth wide and yawned deep.  
  
Bulma sneaked a quick peak at the Sayajin out of the corner of his eye. Why had he allowed her to do this, considering it was completely insane? She knew they were both thinking about the night not long ago when the Forae had attacked Bulma, and the other night, when she had crawled into his bed with him. That was what had started the fight, and they still hadn't solved anything. It was his fault, though. He had no right to say what he said to her. She watched the tiny smile on his face when he watched them playing. Something had happened to the Prince since they had arrived on R'haksin. Something peculiar that had somehow softened his heart. Was it her doing? She still didn't know.  
  
Vegeta caught her looking and she looked quickly away, her cheeks heating as they usually did whenever he looked at her with those certain eyes of his. She tried a smile.  
  
"Vegeta. You saved my life back there. And Ghost's, too." She inched her fingers closer to his own. "Thank you."  
  
He looked down. "Of course I did. I told you, woman, I'm not going to let anything happen to you while we're here." He smirked cruelly. "It'd cause too much trouble back home with your insane family."  
  
She punched him, forgetting about his wounds. By the wince on his face they weren't just scratches. "Vegeta…" she sighed. "Turn around."  
  
"Why?" he raised an eyebrow suspiciously.  
  
"Because I'm going to clean you up, that's why."  
  
He inched down the side of the tub and shook his head. "I told you, forget about it. Its nothing to be worried about."  
  
"Don't be so damn stubborn." In a movement too swift for even him to counter she grabbed his shirt and yanked it up, displaying the deep, ugly red gashes and purple welts that covered his shoulders and lower back. Vegeta glared at his feet as he heard Bulma's sharp intake of breath.  
  
"Vegeta! These aren't 'scratches'!" she abolished sharply. "These will get very infected if you don't clean them…" her voice trailed off as he stood and pulled his shirt over his head and then bent to undo his pants. He slid them off in one fluid motion, standing in front of her clad in his black boxers. Bulma stared. He smirked.  
  
"So clean me."  
  
She recovered from her initial shock and lunged angrily at him. "Vegeta! I didn't say you had to get naked for Kami's sake!"  
  
He shrugged. "As you wish."  
  
Bulma dove for him and caught his hand just as he was about to pull the boxers off. "Don't!" she cried, trying not to let herself laugh. Vegeta sat back down on the side of the tub and by now, all ten of the Roctorn babies were on their hindlegs, staring at him in awe, all 60 of their tails wiggling. Bulma giggled at the looks on their faces.  
  
"Are you going to clean my ghastly wounds or not, woman?" Vegeta growled, but there was no mistaking the humor in his voice. Bulma wiped her hands on her jeans and nodded. "Ok. But let me change into something else." She said.  
  
"What about these things?" he pointed to the babies, who all fought to be the first to sniff his outstretched hand.  
  
"I don't know." She left before he could get another word in, and reappeared moments later in a pair of ratty jeans with holes in them and a black tube top. Her hair was pulled back from her face in a sloppy ponytail. She stared upon entering the bathroom; the tub was filled to the brim with water, and all 10 of the Roctorn babies swam around leisurely around the relaxed (and quite naked) form of Vegeta, who was shoulder deep in the water.  
  
"Uhm…" she stood in the doorway, nervously toying with the bottom of her shirt. He looked over his shoulder. "I didn't know what else to do with them." he said casually. "And I needed a bath anyway." He sent her his best smirk. "Besides, I can't reach those wounds by myself, you know."  
  
Bulma flushed hotly and glared back at his smirk as she approached the tub, trying to decide if she was comfortable with this or not. She seated herself on the edge of the closed toilet seat and positioned herself above his shoulders where she took a washcloth and gently began wiping away the crusted blood.  
  
"None of that wussy hissing and whining, now." She said softly with a smirk of her own.  
  
"Humph."  
  
He gestured to the Roctorn infants. "I didn't know they were able to swim. Especially at such a young age."  
  
Bulma nodded and brought a handful of water up, pouring it over the wounds. "It is strange. What do you know about them?"  
  
Vegeta shrugged and the powerful muscles in his shoulders flexed as he hunched forward. He closed his eyes against the sensation of Bulma's warm hands running over his back.  
  
"Not much." He said finally. "Enough to know that they're going to be nearly as big as their mother in a couple of weeks." He shifted and turned around in the water, startling the little Roctorn's as the small waves pushed them into the sides of the tub. "I know a Storkrin who may be able to help you out with these little shits." He said.  
  
"They're not 'little shits', Vegeta." Bulma frowned. "Can't you be nice to anything?"  
  
"His name is Strifelon." He ignored her and continued. "He is a Storkrin…what you humans call 'wisemen' a sort of blend between all knowing guru and medicine man."  
  
Bulma picked small pieces of gravel and debris out of the giant cuts on Vegeta's back. "How could he help 'us' out?"  
  
"Weren't you listening? I said he's a guru. He knows everything there is to know about R'haksin wildlife. I'm sure once they are big enough we could dump them on him."  
  
She shook her head. "Could he tell us any hints about looking after them?"  
  
"I'm sure." Vegeta rolled his head on his shoulders, working out stubborn kinks and aches.  
  
"When can we take them there?"  
  
Vegeta shrugged. The small red and black Roctorn with the glinting, mischievous eyes crawled up on Vegeta's raised knee. Growling a tiny growl in the back of his throat, he suddenly lunged off of his perch straight at Ghost, who chirped frantically and fell over backward. The Roctorn landed with a loud splash and surfaced seconds later, ears flattened against his head, tiny whiskers drooping. Vegeta chucked evilly.  
  
"I agree that there is one good thing about these Roctorns." He said smugly. "This one seems to know exactly what's best for that lint ball."  
  
Bulma reached into the water and picked the Roctorn up. He growled softly and swatted playfully at her hands as she lowered him onto the floor at her feet. His nine brothers and sisters whimpered at his sudden absence, raising themselves up to try and peek a look at their much braver sibling.  
  
"He's not very nice to Ghost." Bulma said disapprovingly.  
  
"That's why he's got style." Vegeta smirked. "He needs a name."  
  
Bulma set the washcloth down and gaped openly at the back of Vegetas head. "A name?" she sputtered. "You, Mister high and mighty, want to give one of these 'ugly monstrosities' a name?" she shook her head. "You're getting soft."  
  
Ignoring her, he continued to watch the two playing on the floor. "Spider." He announced. "It suits him."  
  
"You seem to know everything about him." she said flatly.  
  
"I can sense many things. For one, he's smart. Two, he's got style…"  
  
"And three?" Bulma asked.  
  
"He's going to make a great guard-dog."  
  
"WHAT?"  
  
* * *  
  
Strifelon proved to be a guru in his own sense, Bulma could tell that the second she had stepped inside the strange workshop that served as his home. But he was also a complete psycho, she also realized very quickly. He was not nearly as tall as the other Storkrin she had seen, and she guessed him to be only at a height of 6'5, which was, for Storkrins, quite small. One could tell at first glance that he was elderly by the way he shuffled about the little room in a slow, slightly crooked manner. Beady red eyes hidden by drooping armored eyebrows peered at them with the usual expression of annoyance that the elderly wore on their faces, hidden by the typical brown hood that always covered the Storkrins faces.  
  
Strifelon's house was a small hollowed out crevasse deep within the red earth of R'haksin. Bulma could not deny that the trip down into it had been terribly hard. Not being able to descend the rocky steps on her own, Bulma had had to pass each tiny Roctorn infant into Vegeta's arms one at a time, and then had sat down to wait until he could offer his assistance to her. The stairs had wound down spirally for what seemed like hours. Bulma supposed that he never left his quarters often, due to the exertion it had caused both she and Vegeta, she couldn't imagine what it would do to him.  
  
Now, as she cradled Ghost in her arms and pushed the hideous, makeshift 'baby carriage' full of mewling Roctrons in front of her, she realized she felt terribly uneasy standing beneath thousands of pounds of rock.  
  
Vegeta stood close by her, holding 'Spider' in his own arms. Bulma had applied fresh bandages and gauze to the wounds on his back. They now hid beneath the familiar navy blue spandex that covered his body. The wriggling impatient Spider struggled in his arms, growling and swatting at everything that moved.  
  
"Well, what do we have here?" Strifelon shuffled over to them, startling Bulma. She had nearly forgotten that he was there. Now as he approached them, ignoring the frantic Spider, he leaned over and peered into the strange cardboard box with wheels that they had made to transport the infants. He retaliated in horror.  
  
"OUT!" he shooed his spindly arms at the two of them, his muzzle twisting into a mask of hate. "Get them out!"  
  
Vegeta narrowed his eyes. "No." he said calmly. "We need your assistance."  
  
Strifelon drew himself to his full height and got right up into Vegetas angry face. "Thossse are Roctorn infantsss, Prince. They will grow huge within weeksss."  
  
"I know." Vegeta said angrily. "That's why we came here."  
  
Strifelon threw his arms in the air and spun around on his giant heels, nearly crashing into a shelf full of potions and vials. Bulma giggled in spite of herself, trying not to notice the look on the elderly Storkrins face as he heard her. "Please," she calmed herself. "I have a favor to ask."  
  
Strifelon considered for a moment, then turned to her. "What of you, Earthling female? Would you have me take the infantsss for myssself?"  
  
She shook her head. "Not right away. We've decided to nurse them until they are old enough to survive on their own. We will be leaving in a few weeks."  
  
"Ah," He nodded his head knowingly. "You are infected, yesss?"  
  
She nodded weakly.  
  
"You come for the Psssyrim?"  
  
Another nod.  
  
Strifelon was silent for the briefest of seconds before he threw his arms up again, shaking his head profusely. "No, cannot, will not have any of it!"  
  
Bulma furrowed her brows and looked pleadingly at him. "Please, Strifelon? If you are willing, would you care for the Roctorns after we have left?"  
  
Strifelon was walking around the tiny room, picking up random things and studying them as if for potential value. He muttered to himself, then turned back to her.  
  
"No need, no need. None of it. The Roctornsss will grow in two weeksss time. No need to leave them in care. No need."  
  
Bulma looked to Vegeta, her eyebrows raised. He shrugged. "So what you're saying is, by two weeks time they will have reached an age where they will be able to care for themselves, alone?"  
  
"That'sss exactly what I sssaid, Prince!" Strifelon cried. " No need! Leave the infantsss."  
  
Bulma couldn't help but notice that Vegeta didn't look as entirely relieved as she thought he would. She watched as Spider clambered up his neck and onto his shoulder, vanishing into the upsweep of black hair.  
  
"All right then. There are a few more things we need to know." Bulma said. "What do they eat?"  
  
Strifelon threw back his head and laughed, a surprisingly loud, piercing noise that echoed off the chamber walls and sent Ghost and the Roctorns scurrying for cover.  
  
"EAT?" he cried. Still laughing, he edged over to Bulma and grinned crookedly at her. "They eat anything, human. But no greensss. None of it!"  
  
'None of it' seemed to be the catch phrase of the day.  
  
"So, they like to eat anything, they hate Vegetables, and they grow really fast." Bulma said. "Anything else? I mean…do we need to know anything specific, such as…" she wanted to say it, she truly did. The thought had been nagging at her in the back of her mind ever since they had brought the Roctorn's into the ship. She swallowed. "Will they turn on us? I mean…if raised from such a young age, will enough trust be stabilized that they…" she trailed off.  
  
Strifelon shook his head. "No need to worry, earthling female. Worry isss a foolisssh thing. None of it!" he extended a long clawed finger and brushed aside a strand of hair from her face. "The Roctorn infantsss will trussst you, if you love them." It was said in such an oddly gentle voice that Bulma suddenly reached out and impulsively hugged the giant creature. "Thank you." She said, drawing away quickly. Ignoring the look that Vegeta had plastered all over his face, she stepped back, gathered up Ghost securely in her arms and turned to her waiting Prince.  
  
"Well?"  
  
"Are you going to come with me? Or are you staying here with Dr. Brothers?" he growled.  
  
Strifelon chuckled in his strange grating voice again. "The Prince hasss much inssside for you, human." He tapped his chest slightly, startling both of them into silence, and then suddenly threw his arms in the air again, muttering and shuffling back into the glow of his potions.  
  
With their newly acquired 'family', the disgruntled Sayajin Prince and the earthling female turned and headed back toward their ship and the warmth of their beds.  
  
Neither brought up the Storkrin's words on the way back. 


	17. Chapter Seventeen: Surface

1 Chapter Seventeen: Surface  
  
  
  
Authors Notes: Thank you all so much for all the wonderful reviews!! ^_^ I've never had a fic this popular before! Anyway, to clarify a few things for you guys: Is there something wrong with Vegeta 'satisfying' himself? (L) I thought that was something all men do. Just a note: This fic is going to have a number of lemony scenes. I hope that doesn't bother anybody! I sure as hell know it doesn't bother me!! ^_^ Also, a few of you peoples noticed a number of silly mistakes I have been making. Well, to explain that, I would have to say that I get so wrapped up in my V/B fics that I often forget things I've made the characters say or do. I hope that doesn't make anyone angry!  
  
Another thing: I'm SOOO glad you're all liking Ghost and Spider. I thought they were pretty cute ^_^ and don't worry, I'm really trying on some happier chapters from now on, really I am!  
  
~J.J  
  
  
  
Yaumcha stared down at the deep, criss crossing lines that covered his wrists. There had been three the last time he had looked. Now, there were five. Why was he doing this to himself? He still didn't know.  
  
Now, the woman psychiatrist who sat across from him studied him as he looked at the cuts, tapping her pen against the corner of her slightly visible teeth. Long, lacured fingernails clicked impatiently on the armchair. So very professional she was, with her clipboard and her dark blue office attire. Nylons covered her legs and heels adorned her petite feet.  
  
"Yaumcha?" she brought him out of his haze. "You were about to tell me why you tried to kill yourself." She sighed, her voice devoid of any true emotion. "Continue."  
  
He lifted himself slightly and tucked his wrists under himself, a habit he had found himself to be resorting to an awful lot lately. The Psychiatrist stared him down with cold, calculating blue eyes. Eyes exactly the color of Bulmas.  
  
Why had he tried to kill himself, anyway? Didn't he know he would just be wished back again, anyway? Perhaps it was that Bulma had wanted to go off into space with Vegeta. If Vegeta had for some reason taken her by force, then he supposed it would not have been such a terrible thing. It killed him inside to know that she had obviously wanted to. Her things would not have been missing if she had been kidnapped by the Prince. Time and effort had been apparent in her leave. She had wanted to, that was what hurt him.  
  
"She wanted to leave." He said.  
  
"Bulma?" The woman lifted one plucked eyebrow.  
  
"Yes." He replied softly. "But then…maybe I'm not so sad because of that. Maybe I'm angry with myself, because…because I cheated on her."  
  
The woman said nothing, and waited for him to continue.  
  
Yaumcha blushed hotly and shifted his weight on his hands. "I mean, maybe I've finally realized that I was wrong in wounding her trust in our relationship."  
  
"Did you love her?" She asked quietly.  
  
Yaumcha looked up, offended, and instantly opened his mouth to protest. But then he stopped. Maybe there was reason in what she asked. Did he love her? How could he, if he had been able to give himself to another woman?  
  
"Do I need to let her go?" he asked softly. "Is that it?"  
  
The woman checked her watch and stood, clearly unimpressed with something or other. "That is for you to decide. Our time is up." She gathered her briefcase and papers in a messy armload and went for the door. "I'll send the bill to the Capsule Corporation."  
  
And then she was gone.  
  
  
  
It was a beautiful day for R'haksin.  
  
Although, for one trapped so far beneath the red earth such as Koru was, only glimpses of sunlight could manage to sneak in through the deep tunnel, and that was a treasure in itself.  
  
Koru watched the approach of the new day with a growing sense of mystery. Something above was happening. She could feel it in the ground beneath her. Even if concrete kept her from feeling the true soil with her hands, the rhythm of the earth had changed, and a new life's scent carried itself on the wind and down into The Dungeons. It drifted in on a breeze through the iron bars of her cell and wafted into her nostrils.  
  
She opened wide eyes.  
  
It was here.  
  
* * *  
  
Strifelon knew of the Pystrim Osis long before any other Storkrin did. It's scent had come to him in his sleep, before the new days light had graced the red earth of R'haksin. Now, he pulled tight his worn brown cloak around his bony (but still impressive) shoulders and headed out toward the Storkrin Council of Elders.  
  
It was a long walk, and he enjoyed it, on the rare occasions that he would walk it. No one else would know of the plants awakening, yet, and it had always been his long-standing duty to inform them. Treskor would no doubt be awake. He would alert the Council, and then ask for directions to the Earthling's Ship. She would no doubt be estatic to learn of the Psytrim's birth.  
  
However, what she would not know, and what most regularly forgot was that the plant needed time. Once it rose from the soil, it needed to bloom before it could be ready to be made into the edible paste. Only Strifelon knew of these such things. Within four days time he would be able to extract the Pystrim from the soil and carry it down into his lab, so that it would be able to ripen under the chemicals he would subject it to. He raised his snout into the chilled morning air and drew a deep breath. But today was indeed a slightly remarkable day. A Pystrim had not bloomed for two years. This was the first in that long a time.  
  
The Earthling should be honored.  
  
He adjourned to the Council for a brief time, told them of the Psytrim, and then headed back out through the doors toward the Ship. By now the strange light had filled the red planet with life and he could clearly see the new day stretching on for miles. The ship was not far. He would be there soon.  
  
Briefly he wondered of the Roctorn infants. Such a strange thing it was to see ten of them orphaned. The cause of their orphaning was still a myserty, and he supposed the Prince would never tell him. It was a truly amazing thing that they had been able to bring down a full-grown, 1600 pound mother Roctorn. He hoped they knew what they were doing, allowing themselves to become so very close to the infants.  
  
Strifelon peered at the ship once he arrived at its base. It was indeed very large. He wondered who had built such a thing. The Earthling? He had heard that Earth had much technology. Was their technology more advanced than that of R'haksin's? He thought not.  
  
He knocked twice on the door and waited patiently. There was a loud grunt, a small crash, a squeal, and the sound of many tiny paws scurrying across linoleum floor.  
  
Vegeta threw open the ships door, looking less than regal. His usually disturbing hair was even more so disturbing than usual. Strifelon peered closely. The largest of the Roctorn infants, Spider, was actually crawling around inside the flaming upsweep of hair. He grinned, showing pointed yellowed teeth.  
  
"The day isss growing old already, Prince." He hissed. The earthling female, Bulma, appeared close behind the Prince, a bowl in one hand, wearing giant fuzzy slippers. She bent at the waist and scooped up three of the infants that were trying desperately to escape through the door. Ghost sat, as usual, perched on her shoulder. He blinked slowly at the Storkrin and yawned loudly.  
  
Vegeta yanked Spider out of his hair with a short growl and secured him in his arms, where he continued to snarl and swipe at the Prince's unprotected chest in his usual playful manner.  
  
"And what brings you here, Strifelon?" Vegeta asked. He grabbed Spiders little legs and held them fast. The Roctorn snarled.  
  
"Ah," Strifelon held up one gnarled finger. "Much doesss, thisss day, Prince." He winked at Bulma, who looked curiously at him in return.  
  
"What would that be?" Vegeta asked.  
  
"The Psssytrim hasss arrived!" He threw up his spindly arms and grinned again. Bulma half expected him to break into song. But he had said 'Psytrim'! The reason that they were here! The reason they had endured all of this was finally here! She felt herself squealing in unrestrained joy.  
  
"But," Strifelon held up his claws again, signaling for silence. "The plant needsss four daysss to grow, earthling female."  
  
Bulma's grin did not lessen. They could be out of here within four days! She turned to Vegeta and slapped him on the shoulder. "Four days!" she cried, laughing. "I'll be cured of this goddamn disease! We can go home!"  
  
Vegeta smiled. Yes, they could, couldn't they? Home. He could go back to his training, his gravity chamber. And she could go crawling back to that…  
  
He trailed off in thought. What would happen when they returned? Would she crawl back to that worthless weakling? Or would she remember that night when she had crawled into his arms?  
  
"What's wrong, Vegeta?" Bulma was still laughing loudly. "We can go home in four days! I'm going to be cured!"  
  
Strifelon had not left the doorway. "The plant tassstesss horrible, earthling female." He flicked his tongue out and tasted the morning air. "Much more horrible than anything you will ever tassste."  
  
Bulma shrugged. What was taste, compared to life? She bounded past Vegeta and hugged the giant lizard-man once more, this time without any fear or embarrassment. This was an embrace of pure happiness. She was going to live! She could see her family, her friends, Chi-Chi! In four days!  
  
Strifelon put his hands on her shoulders when she pulled away. "You come to sssee me when the Psssytrim hasss ripened. Four daysss, earthling female."  
  
Smiling, Bulma said; "My name is Bulma. Did you not know that?"  
  
Strifelon waggled a clawed index finger at her. "That isssn't exciting, earthling female."  
  
She laughed and waved to him as he turned and disappeared into the bright, chilly red mist of the morning. Closing the ships door behind her, she leaned against it, her heart racing with excitement.  
  
"I'm so incredibly happy, Vegeta!" she cried. "I can't wait until I'm better."  
  
He smiled a half smile at her and turned back into the kitchen, the 10 infant Roctorn's scurrying after him as though he was their mother. Bulma pushed herself away from the door and trailed after him.  
  
"Something bothering you?" she asked cautiously.  
  
"No." he kept looking straight ahead. "Are you hungry?"  
  
She grinned and did a little dance toward the kitchen fridge. "Not really." She said. "But you are."  
  
He sat down at the table and leaned back dangerously far in the chair. "How do you know?"  
  
Bulma turned to him, frying pan in hand. "Really, Vegeta." She raised an eyebrow. "How in the hell could you not be hungry." She turned to the stove and set the temperatures. "Besides," she said, her back to him, "I'm in such a good mood, I'm going to make you a big breakfast just because. Even though you don't deserve it, since you still haven't apologized to me."  
  
Vegeta watched her tiny, perfectly shaped bottom swaying around in the air in front of him and tried in vain to look somewhere else. His mind would not give him a rest. Strifelons words were indeed good news, but at the same time, he realized that they had terrified him. He was actually scared of returning to Earth. He was nervous as to what was going to happen. Bulma had said that she and the weakling boyfriend were no longer mates. But did that truly solidify things? Or would she go back to him now, out of fear? Or out of loneliness? It seemed they had both forgotten those two intimate nights. Shouldn't something have come out of this trip to R'haksin? He felt different inside, sure, but did she? Hadn't anything changed? They had been through an awful lot together. And encounters such as the ones they had shared on this ship did not just go unnoticed…they did not simply become forgotten.  
  
Vegeta was suddenly angry. He realized he didn't want to return to Earth without her as his mate. He swallowed against the lump of swollen pride in his throat. Could he? Could he apologize to her? He had been wrong, hadn't he?  
  
The smell of suddenly overpowering bacon stirred him out of his thoughts. Bulma placed a plate of bacon and toast in front of him. She leaned back against the counter and watched him as he picked up his fork. Inside, his heart was pounding. It was pounding much harder than when he had fought Freiza. Can I do this, he thought? Can I actually approach this weak little woman and tell her that I am truly, honestly sorry for saying that to her? Because I am sorry, aren't I? He stuffed a generous helping of the bacon into his mouth and ignored the mewling and pawing of the Roctorn's at his feet.  
  
Turn around. He thought.  
  
She flashed him one more smile before turning to the now bubbling eggs that were frying. Vegeta frantically devoured the last two forkfuls and got up as quietly as he could. At the stove, she was humming a lively tune, completely unaware of the fact that he was about to…  
  
Bulma jumped, startled, when Vegeta wrapped his arms around her waist, gently, letting them hang loose as not to make her feel too uncomfortable. She had just enough room to turn in his embrace, and she did, her spatula in one hand and her other searching for a place to touch.  
  
"Vegeta…?"  
  
"Woman, shut the hell up and let me talk." He growled softly, trying to push the hammering of his heart into the back of his mind. Bulma waited, grease from the frying pan dripping off the spatula.  
  
He stared into her endless eyes and took a deep breath. "Woman…I'm…I'm sorry." He struggled.  
  
There. You did it. You got it out. Now what?  
  
Bulma stared at him for a long while, making his heart hammer even harder within his ribcage, like a frightened bird. Why is she drawing it out? He thought frantically. What did I do wrong?  
  
He was two seconds away from turning and fleeing from the kitchen when she leaned up and gave him a tiny kiss on the cheek. He froze.  
  
"Good enough." She said softly, a little smile playing on her lips.  
  
"Woman," Vegeta smirked and recovered from his initial shock and pulled her closer, now unafraid to tighten his grasp around her much desired body, "That was not a kiss."  
  
  
  
Bulma giggled and tried without much effort to elude the Prince's attentions. She lost, and was pushed against the kitchen counter, where powerful arms encased her with a tenderness that she had been waiting for all her life.  
  
She melted. 


	18. Chapter Eighteen: Please don't hate me

1 Chapter Eighteen: Please don't hate me  
  
Authors Notes: I hope everyone liked the last chapter! I know a lot of you will be disappointed with the way I left it (cliffhanger style, baby!) but I'm just glad they finally kissed…and that that damn Vegeta finally apologized to Bulma. Seriously, if anyone has any complaints, comments, or suggestions, you should really e-mail me with them. I'm always up for any ways to make this story better. I just want everyone to have as good a time as possible reading this ^_^ Well, hope you enjoy this chapter!  
  
~J.J  
  
  
  
Bulma shuffled into the bathroom, her royal blue housecoat wrapped tightly around her shoulders. She felt…somehow…different this morning. She smiled around the mouthful of toothbrush she had. That could be because of her little 'kiss' she shared with Vegeta the other morning. Again, as she had expected, they were both awkward and uncomfortable around each other. Well, Vegeta had definitely showed her a 'real' kiss. She felt warmth in her cheeks. But this time it was a different, almost pleasurable sort of awkwardness that she felt around him. A sort of embarrassment that made her feel like a great and terrible weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Almost like everything had somehow been solved. And Yaumcha had not entered her mind once after they had kissed. Not once.  
  
Bulma opened the door, closed it with a click, and turned to head for the shower. She stopped dead in her tracks. Spider stared at her from his position in the bathtub, where he had taken to sleeping. Except…now…as he blinked orange eyes lazily at her and yawned, Bulma realized something was very, very different.  
  
He was the size of a small German shepherd.  
  
She staggered back at step, completely unafraid, but completely shocked. He had only been the size of a small puppy last night! She was holding him in her arms! Now…he was absolutely huge! How in the hell could he have grown so big in such a short time?  
  
Not knowing what to make of it, Bulma hurried from the bathroom and into the hallway, halting in her tracks where the other Roctorn infants sat on their haunches. Each and every one was the size of Spider, although slightly smaller in their builds. They clambered up to her with, their multi-tails wagging back and forth. Bulma heard Vegeta's door open, and watched his reaction as he stepped out into the hall. He stared with eyes as equally large as her own. Behind her, Spider thundered out of the bathroom at breakneck speed and slammed into Vegeta, nearly knocking him over. Vegeta staggered back a step and tried to push the giant cat-creature off of him, who was meowing and pawing and wagging happily at his 'masters' surprised stare.  
  
"I should have remembered…" Vegeta trailed off, finally dislodging the furry giant off of his chest.  
  
"What?" Bulma cried.  
  
"Roctorn's go through a vicious growth spurt during their maturity into young adults." He said, looking over the rest of them who sat in the hall, staring back at him with orange eyes. "It is usually fast and intense."  
  
"I guess so!" Bulma said. "He fills up the whole bathtub now!"  
  
Spider wagged his six tails especially fast, seemingly proud of himself. Vegeta shook his head.  
  
"So what now?" She asked. "Is this it?"  
  
"Oh, Kami no." Vegeta snorted. "They'll continue to grow at a rapid rate, just not nearly as fast as this. This was their one growth spurt. Now they'll continue at their normal pace, which I might add is still abnormally fast. They'll probably be as big as their mother within…" he trailed off, thinking. "About three weeks."  
  
"Three weeks?" Bulma cried, incredulous. "They're going to be that big in three weeks??"  
  
"I told you," Vegeta said calmly, "Roctorn's are notorious for being exceedingly fast-developing creatures."  
  
Bulma shook her head. "There's no way we'll be able to fit them in here. Not all of them, anyway."  
  
Vegeta nodded. "Hn. I suppose we'll have to start arranging for a new home soon." He stopped and caught himself. "I mean…we'll just dump them off somewhere. They'll be fine on their own."  
  
Bulma smirked and put her hands on her hips. "And what are we supposed to do with your precious Spider?"  
  
"Keep him, of course." Vegeta smirked right back. "If he lays down, he can easily fit in the basement of the ship." He paused. "What? Did you think I was going to leave him here?"  
  
"You've become quite attached." She muttered. "And you say I'm the crazy one? You want to bring back a seven foot tall, 1500 pound cat to my backyard?"  
  
"Yes." He said evenly. "Your father can build a doghouse."  
  
"A really huge doghouse!" she cried. "Vegeta, think about what you're saying! We can't bring something like that back to Earth! Think about what could happen! He might eat somebody!"  
  
Vegeta shook his head. "That wouldn't happen."  
  
Bulma advanced, picking her way through the Roctorns. "You don't know that!" she said.  
  
Vegeta reached out and yanked her to him. "Are we having a spat?" he asked, smirking. Bulma glared at him. "Yes. We are."  
  
"Oooh, goody."  
  
"Shut up!" she tried to struggle from him but he held her firm. "Are you going to have a bath?" he asked suddenly.  
  
"If you want to clean out the tub; it's full of his hair." She nodded to Spider, who lashed his tails in response.  
  
He released her. "Would you mind terribly if I accompanied you?" his voice turned from mocking to unusually lustful. Bulma couldn't help her immediate reaction. An unwanted heat blossomed in her thighs and redness spread across her face.  
  
"N-No…" she said quickly, wondering hopefully at his intentions. She wouldn't mind a bath with him. After all, she missed physical contact terribly, and their kiss the other morning had been enough to fill her mind with naughty thoughts.  
  
She turned awkwardly from him and went to the bathroom. Vegeta had to turn halfway there and shoo away Spider, who obviously didn't like the idea of someone else in his bathtub.  
  
Once in the bathroom, Bulma turned the tap on and leaned against the counter, waiting. Vegeta stood across from her, eyeing her fully, taking no measure to hide his approving glances. "Well?" he asked softly. "Are you going to get in?"  
  
"I…in a second." She stammered. Her fingers lingered at the sash on her robe.  
  
"Need help with that?"  
  
"N-no!" she said. "I'm fine…"  
  
"Woman," Vegeta approached her quickly, taking her hands in her own. "There is no need for embarrassment between us. Is there?" he lifted her chin with his index finger and forced her to look at him.  
  
"Vegeta…are you…going to…" she couldn't finish the sentence.  
  
"What?" he asked softly, his face deliciously close to her own. His voice was oddly gentle.  
  
"Are you going to…make love to me…?"  
  
He abruptly pulled away. Not completely, but enough to be able to look at her fully. He chuckled softly. "Woman…"  
  
Bulma was horrified. She had just made a complete fool of herself. Untying her robe she dropped it to the floor and ungracefully seated herself in the bathtub. She drew her knees to her chest and listened to him as he discarded his clothing. Seconds later he was sitting behind her, his legs on either side of her. Bulma could feel his growing hardness pressing against her lower back.  
  
"Bulma," He leaned into her, his face right on her neck. It was exactly the same way he had sat with her when the Forae had attacked her that night, except that night he had been completely devoid of any sexual intentions. Now, he was fighting a loosing battle with himself. Did she want him to make love to her?  
  
"I would love to make love to you…" he said softly. "But…we…"  
  
She saved him. She turned around and saved him from having to continue. She looked him straight in the eye and smiled. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pressure either of us. We don't have to…if you don't want to…"  
  
"Don't get me wrong, I-  
  
She put a finger to his lips, silencing him. "It's all right." She turned around again.  
  
His brows furrowed in annoyance. What was with her? One minuet, she wanted him. The next she was telling him to shut up. He sighed and leaned back against the tub, grabbing the washcloth. He worked up a good lather and began to wash her back. She sighed pleasurably and leaned forward, hunching her shoulders.  
  
"Things are different now." She said quietly as he washed her. "Aren't they?"  
  
"Obviously." He snorted.  
  
"I meant," she turned her head a ways and looked at him out of the corner of her eye. "We're…a couple now, aren't we?"  
  
The bathroom fell silent. "I told you…Yaumcha and I aren't together any more." She added.  
  
Vegeta leaned his head on her shoulder. "How did that come to be?"  
  
Bulma looked down into the water. "He cheated on me." She turned to him. "I never want to go through that again."  
  
Vegeta left the obvious question unanswered, though he knew the answer.  
  
Never.  
  
* * *  
  
"Now you can be my bodyguard!" Bulma said happily to Spider, who padded along ghost like upon the red earth. And this was an unexpected development indeed! Now Bulma would be able to visit Koru in her last few days on R'haksin without the angry and unpredictable Vegeta breathing down her neck.  
  
Spider growled softly deep within his throat. He had identified this creature he was walking with as his 'masters' master. Although Vegeta would have argued that, he somehow knew. He would protect this creature as long as his master had told him to do so. Spider's brain swelled with bits and pieces of color and information that told him to be proud of himself. He was already nearing his mother's size. Soon, nothing would be able to defeat him.  
  
"You'll like Koru." Bulma said softly as she ruffled his pointed, tufted ears. "But try not to scare her. She might wonder what I'm doing with a brute like you." Bulma rummaged around in her pants pocket and tossed him a piece of bacon left over from Vegeta's breakfast the other day. Inside the plastic baggie there were all sorts of Roctorn tidbits that she had arranged for their trip to The Dungeons.  
  
"Can't have you going all hungry on me." Bulma said absently. Spider vanished for a moment before reappearing, wriath like, out of the shadows lining the forest path. He slunk up beside Bulma so quickly that she nearly screamed, before remembering that she had to be extremely quiet.  
  
She knelt down beside Spider and took his furry head in her hands. "Hey big guy," she said, "You gotta do a favor for me, can you do that?"  
  
Spider yawned loudly, his giant pink tongue lolling out of his gaping jaws. "All right." Bulma mumbled. "I'll take that as a yes. Anyway, you have to be really quiet for me, ok? We're not supposed to be doing this right now."  
  
Spider bumped her head with his own, a deep purring rumbling in his throat. It was strange how he had changed overnight. Not only was he ten times as big, but his mischievous personality seemed to have broadened as well. Now he seemed…more protective? Mature? She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but she missed the tiny little ball of fury that had attacked her fuzzy slippers when she walked around the kitchen.  
  
"Promise to be quiet?" Bulma whispered. Spider drew back, leaned down, raised his rump in the air and pounced at her, his six tails lashing out as he wrestled her to the ground, refusing to let her back up until she had laughed hard enough.  
  
Guess I was wrong, Bulma thought between giggles. At last she managed to get him off of her with a great amount of difficulty. Spider rolled onto his back, his tongue hanging out. "You look more like a dog than a cat." Bulma said with a laugh. "Now, you have to be quiet, ok? We're almost there."  
  
They approached The Dungeons after a great amount of difficulty, what with Spider wanting to play the whole time. When they finally arrived, the playful Roctorn bounded off toward the entrance, sniffing the marble walls carefully. He stepped aside when his 'inspection' seemed to be over and let Bulma through. She began to descend the steps and felt the nervousness that she had been trying to ignore the way over finally worm its way up into her gut. She swallowed against it, listening to Spider's big feet as he padded down softly behind her.  
  
They ended up on the floor of The Dungeons shortly, and Bulma made a point of getting to Koru's cell before the giant cat did. "Koru?" she whispered into the darkness. She heard the chains clinking, what sounded like sniffing, and then a worried noise.  
  
"Bulma! What are you doing with a Roctorn?"  
  
Bulma sat down in front of the cell, putting her hands through it. She held Koru's in her own and smiled as the beautiful Storkrin came into view. "It's a long story, and I don't have much time." She said. "Don't worry, he's very friendly. His name is Spider."  
  
Koru smiled. "How have you been? Did you find Ghost?"  
  
Bulma sighed. "Yes, he was in a cave. That's where we found this guy. So much has happened!" she said. "I came here to tell you something…if you didn't know…the Psytrim has grown. I'll be cured and off this planet in four days."  
  
Spider padded to her side and plopped down on his haunches, looking Koru over with curiosity.  
  
"Please…don't hate me." Bulma whispered when Koru didn't say anything. "I feel so horrible…you've been down here for two years…dying…and then I come along and take away your only chance."  
  
Koru shook her head gently. "No, Bulma. It's not like that. They wouldn't give me the cure, anyway." She said softly. "That's why I'm down here. So they can forget about me."  
  
"It's not fair." Bulma said. "I wish there were two plants, so that we could both be cured."  
  
"You'll be gone in four days, then?" Koru shifted around and looked suddenly sad. "I'll miss you."  
  
"I'll miss you too." Bulma said. "I'll come to see you again before we leave." She patted Spider's head. "He's my new bodyguard. If I'm not back soon, Vegeta will kill me."  
  
Koru smiled. "When will I see you?"  
  
"Soon." Bulma said as she stood, Spider at her side. "Soon." 


	19. Chapter Nineteen: A horizon of warning

1 Chapter Nineteen: A Horizon of warning  
  
Authors Notes: Well, Koru's back in the picture! I'm sure a lot of you were wondering what happened to her. Sorry, I've been getting caught up with the (not so small) Roctorn's lately ^_^  
  
I'm sure lots of you are wondering why Vegeta and Bulma are taking so long to actually get cuddly, and why their relationship seems so strange. Well…I like drawing things out. And as for the weird part…well…? I'M weird. There.  
  
Also, something you guys should know. I'm nearing the end of my Grade 12 year, which means a LOT of things are happening (I get to be in the Grad 2002 fashion show!!) and I have a lot of assignments that need to get done. So what I'm saying is; my updates might slow down a bit. I'M SORRY!! But not too much. Maybe only by a day or two. Please bear with me? 'Sanks ^_^  
  
Anyway, I hope you all enjoy the chapter! And thanks again for all the nice reviews. It's so fun to log-in and see what everybody thinks of my fic!  
  
~J. J  
  
  
  
"Sssomething is wrong today…"  
  
Strifelon stood at the entrance to his underground lair, his blunt snout carefully sniffing the aroma that was carried on the wind. Something smelt wrong. The air was darker than usual, and the earth didn't feel right beneath his feet. Mainly, it was something in the air. Dark, strange looking clouds were gathering in spotted clusters in the corners of the sky, boxing R'haksin in.  
  
"A ssstorm, perhapsss?" Strifelon's first thought was the Psytrim. If it was indeed one of R'haksin's rare storms, the Pystrim had a good chance of being wiped out.  
  
Unless…  
  
He pulled his cloak around him and started off toward the Council of Elders.  
  
* * *  
  
Feeding Roctorns was not an easy job.  
  
Bulma sighed in frustration as she attempted to pour the strange purple liquid into the ten perfectly placed bowls. Strifelon had stopped by to give them the liquid, which he explained, slowed down the growth process a fair bit so they would not have problems with size. Spider stuck his head under the stream of liquid and lapped at it as Bulma poured it.  
  
"Spider, don't!" she protested, drawing the liquid away. Spider lashed his six tails out behind him and gave her a goofy, lopsided animal smile.  
  
"You are so a dog." She mumbled as she moved on to the next bowl. "Isn't there anything about you that's cat-like?"  
  
Spider remained silent as he stared enviously at his brothers and sisters as they ate their portions. When she was done, Bulma stood and wiped her hands off on her jeans. She walked over to the Calendar on the wall in the kitchen and drew a green line through one of the blocks. "Three days." She said, holding the green pen limply. "Three days…"  
  
* * *  
  
Treskor stared down the older Storkrin angrily. Around him, six other Storkrins sat in their appointed wooden seats, all weighing the value of Strifelon's words.  
  
"Isss what he sssaysss true, Tressskor?" One of the Storkrins hissed.  
  
Treskor growled. "No. He liesss. R'haksssin hasss not had a ssstorm in sssix yearsss."  
  
Strifelon advanced on the much larger Storkrin and slammed his clawed hands down upon the circular table. "The earthling female hasss two daysss until the Psssytrim growsss. Doesss ssshe not dessserve for her cure to be protected? A barrier would not be trouble." He threw his arms in the air and made an exasperated noise.  
  
Treskor shook his head. "Crazy." He hissed darkly. "Leave usss, old one. We want nothing of your foolissshness."  
  
Strifelon paused at the Council doors and gave them all a terribly evil look. "Do not be ssso quick to sssend me on my way."  
  
"OUT!" Treskor hissed menacingly.  
  
He turned from them, muttering on his way out. "You will sssee."  
  
* * *  
  
The dark clouds that had been gathering on the outskirts of R'haksin were much larger now. By the afternoon, the entire Planet had been closed in by their dark ring and had not lessened any for the now worried Storkrins. Bulma and Vegeta stood in front of the Capsule Ship window, staring out at the dark expanse of oncoming storm.  
  
"Do you think that's what it is?" Bulma asked worriedly. "Do you think it's a storm?"  
  
Vegeta shrugged. "Yes, but its hard to tell whether or not it's going to be violent and long, or short and sweet." He looked down at her as she stared out the window, her brows furrowed with worry. Behind them, Spider paced back and forth nervously, a low whine in the back of his throat alerting them. Bulma turned and called him over. Together they stood and comforted him.  
  
"Looks like Spider thinks it's going to be scary…" she trailed off. Vegeta knew what she was thinking. He took her by the shoulders and guided her face to look at his own. "Look," he said, "I know what you're thinking. You're worried that the storm is going to wipe out the Psytrim." He frowned deeply at her. "You can't think like that. If you do, then it could happen."  
  
She pulled away from him. "Like it's that easy!" she said. "What if it does, Vegeta? How is one little tiny flower supposed to hold up to a massive storm like this one?" her eyes were growing wider with each passing second. "What if…this ship can't?"  
  
Vegeta snorted. "Now you're being stupid, woman. Your father built this ship; of course it's going to stand up to a little bit of wind and rain. R'haksin hasn't had a storm in years. It's not going to be bad. Hell, it might even pass over us within an hour or so."  
  
"It's not going to." She said. "I know it won't." she plopped down on the closest chair and sighed miserably. "Not with my luck."  
  
"Don't be such a defeatist." Vegeta said, annoyed. He watched Spider as he plopped his head in her lap and stared up at his with unblinking orange eyes. Eyes that were filled with worry. He whined and half-heartedly wagged his tails, begging to be patted. Vegeta tried to ignore the look on her face, but he couldn't. Her hands slumped down at her sides, her mouth turned down in a little quivering frown, and her eyes wavered with what he saw as oncoming tears.  
  
"Don't cry, for Kami's sake." He muttered. He stood behind her and embraced her from the back. "It's going to be all right." He said. "Trust me."  
  
She reached up and clasped his hand in her own. "You're just saying that."  
  
* * *  
  
  
  
The storm advanced with a terrible swiftness.  
  
Before anyone had even the slightest warning, the foreboding clouds pressed in on them with a suffocating pressure and hailed turrets of rain onto the red earth of R'haksin. Wind rocked the Storkrin foundations with fury, rain pelted the ground with enough force to leave tiny holes, and jagged bolts of strange, blue-green lightning split nearby trees nearly in half. All the while, Koru curled up in her cell and held herself as the wind howled and roared through the tiny hallway of The Dungeons. She had seen and survived many R'haksin storms. She knew she was safe, being as far as she was under the earth, but the terrible wail of the wind still reached her and there was nothing she could do to block it out.  
  
Bulma, meanwhile, had cast aside any remote feelings of embarrassment and headed upstairs to find Vegeta and curl into him. She found him, amazingly, asleep in his bedroom. Spider growled as she opened the door a crack, noticed who she was, and put his furry head back down. She closed the door and hurried to the side of his bed. She reached out and shook him, hard. He bolted awake.  
  
"What?" he cried, clearly annoyed at being awakened.  
  
Bulma did not wait for an invitation. She yanked back the sheets and crawled into the bed with him, curling up against his chest, her head buried beneath his chin. Vegeta remained silent for a few moments, feeling the small shaking vibrations running through the terrified female's body. He embraced her slowly, leaning his head in her soft hair.  
  
"Wimp." He said gently.  
  
Bulma said nothing. Ever since she was a little girl, she had always been deathly afraid of storms. The one opinion of a cold-hearted Sayajin Prince was not going to change that.  
  
"Shut up." She pouted. "How the hell could you sleep at a time like this?"  
  
He smirked. "I'm not afraid of a measly storm, woman. Nor should you be. It can't get us in here."  
  
"I know that." She replied. "It's the noises that bother me." She opened her eyes and lifted her head enough so that their noses were touching. "I hate lightning!"  
  
Vegeta rolled his eyes. "Don't be stupid." He bumped her nose with his own, trying to grab a kiss from her. She obliged and closed her eyes against the welcome sensation. It was only their second kiss, and she enjoyed it just as much as the first. "You're so warm." She said. "You're always so warm. It's not fair."  
  
Vegeta flashed her a wicked smile. "We could do something else to take our minds off the storm."  
  
She blushed and lowered her head back down into his chest. She wanted to, Kami, she wanted to. Ever since that night when she had crawled into his bed with him, she had experienced the overwhelming desire to have sex. It was been weeks and weeks since she had engaged in any sort of intimate contact with anyone, and she was finding it increasingly difficult to stay off of Vegeta and his perfect physique. And then, in the middle of her thoughts, she suddenly realized he was naked. It didn't surprise her; he always slept in the nude. In fact, it rather excited her. Now, as she nudged her small body closer to his own, she felt the immediate reaction press into her abdomen. A hot, uncomfortable warmth blossomed between her thighs and she knew he could probably smell her instant desire. Vegeta was absolutely huge. She bit her lip and felt her face turn even redder. How in the hell could a man be that big? She lifted her leg enough to drape her ankle over his own, affording herself just the right angle to feel him pressing against her crotch.  
  
Vegeta closed his eyes and groaned audibly at the sudden and unexpected sensation. Strong, warm fingers sought out her buttocks and suddenly pulled her down upon him, enough so that he was pressing against her hard enough to give her a pressure induced orgasm. Bulma whimpered and shifted her weight against him. She lifted her head and caught his tongue with her own, letting herself be lost in the rhythm of their mounting excitement.  
  
Then, a tremendous flash of the eerie blue green lightning hit the ground only yards away from the ship. So intense was the explosion that the light lit up the entire ship, spreading through the hallway and beneath the door to Vegeta's bedroom. Bulma shrieked and clutched at Vegeta, completely forgetting her arousal. Spider yelped and leapt up on the bed, his tails between his legs. He crawled as far as he could into Bulma's side, whimpering and quaking at the rumbling sensation that was spreading through the floor.  
  
Vegeta couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed, but he knew now wasn't the time, especially after such a close strike. He answered Bulma's obvious request in kind and hugged her comfortingly, glaring over her head at the far wall, cursing the storm for all it was worth. Finally, her shivering subsided, and she lifted her head to look at him.  
  
"Are you mad?" was her first question.  
  
He frowned. "What?"  
  
"I mean…that we…."  
  
"Woman," Vegeta smirked, "We have all the time in the world, don't we? Of course I'm disappointed, but I can forget that for now." He paused, trying to think of a biting insult. "It would be nice if you weren't such a coward."  
  
She punched him in the shoulder, but there wasn't nearly enough anger to sound genuine. Her inner thighs still tingled and she knew that when she took her panties off in the morning, they would most definitely be soaked. But what he said had merit; she wouldn't be able to concentrate on love making if lightning was constantly hitting the ground inches from their Ship.  
  
There was a sudden clawing and chirping at the door, and Bulma recognized it as Ghost. She left the warmth of the bed and opened the door to find Ghost and nine Roctorn's peering hopefully up at her. The terrified Cheribulum instantly scrambled up into her arms and nuzzled into her shoulder.  
  
"Looks like we have company." She said, trying to hide her smile at the adorably angry pout on Vegeta's face. He groaned loudly as she opened the door fully and let the nine thundering monstrosities inside.  
  
"All right, but you're all staying down there!" He yelled at them as they all surrounded the bed, whining eagerly. "Don't look at me like that!" he snarled at them. Spider looked smug.  
  
Bulma snuggled back into the bed, Ghost between them. It was an instant mistake. Vegeta growled at Ghost for separating him from his desire, Spider growled at Ghost for making his master growl, and the remaining nine Roctorns growled at their brother for being on the bed when they were not. Ghost shrank back from the Prince's glare and tried to hide in the folds of Bulma's nightgown. She laughed and ruffled his ears, receiving a few good natures chirps. Spider growled in indignation and curled up as close as he could get to Vegeta, sending Ghost a 'next time you won't be so lucky' look.  
  
Vegeta looked over at Bulma. Her eyes were wide and alert as she looked around the darkened room. "What's on your mind?" he asked her.  
  
"The Psytrim." She sighed. "Vegeta, I'm worried."  
  
He frowned. "Like I said, there's nothing to worry about. Flowers are rooted into the ground. It would take a much more violent storm than this to tear one up."  
  
"You're trained to say these things."  
  
"I was trained to do many things in my life, Bulma, but lying was not one of them."  
  
There was an awkward silence. "I'm…sorry." She said.  
  
"Don't be." He replied. "I'm used to the lying, heartless bastard impression I give to people."  
  
She frowned and sat up. Ghost slid down her chest with an annoyed chirp. "I didn't say you were a liar." She defended.  
  
"You insinuate it."  
  
She rose from the bed, carrying her fuzzy bundle. "I'm going to get something to drink."  
  
He didn't say anything. She shrugged and headed toward the kitchen, Spider padding alone softly behind her and Ghost on his usual shoulder perch. She was angry, and she knew if she stayed in the bedroom beside him, her anger would worsen until they got into another one of their arguments. She didn't want that to happen, not tonight. With such a storm going on, she didn't know how she would be able to sleep by herself in the dark without being able to cuddle with him. He made her mad, he made her furious even, but he also made her feel safe. She didn't want to ruin that.  
  
The kitchen lit up in a flash of light as lightning struck the ground miles away. She shrunk back and Spider hid behind her legs. "You're supposed to be the big bad guard dog." She muttered to him, inching toward the light switch.  
  
If the power goes out, I swear….  
  
Click.  
  
Bulma screamed in frustration when the lightswitch failed to work. She fumbled her way back to Vegeta's bedroom and tapped on his shoulder. He was already asleep, again. He blinked up at her. "Hn?"  
  
"The powers out."  
  
"So?"  
  
"So I can't see where I'm going!" she complained. "I have to go pee. I'll bump into something."  
  
"Woman-  
  
"I'm scared!" she pouted, determined not to budge. "Please come with me!"  
  
"You want me to go pee with you?"  
  
"DON'T BE DIFFICULT!" she screamed into his face. Vegeta laughed, the Roctorn's jumped, and Ghost squealed. Spider looked nothing short of amazed; he hadn't yet seen his 'masters' powers.  
  
"All right, all right." He smirked as he rose from the bed, standing naked next to her. "I'll help you go pee."  
  
He concentrated his Ki and instantly it flared to life, creating the crackling, soft golden glow that always came with the energy. Bulma took his hand and they went down the hall toward the bathroom. Vegeta waited outside the door, letting his Ki fade enough so that he wasn't wasting precious energy. Spider sat on his haunches beside him.  
  
"Don't listen to me." Bulma growled from behind the door. "And no peeking."  
  
"I swear, woman, you get weirder every day."  
  
Outside, the heavy rain pelted the window and Vegeta had a sudden thought about the Psytrim. What if Bulma wasn't worried for a stupid reason for once? What in the hell would they do if the damn plant they had gone through so much for just…died? He scowled at himself and clenched a fist. He wouldn't stand for it. But then, what could he do? The click of the bathroom door opening took him out of his thoughts.  
  
"Done?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
He took her hand and led her back to his bedroom, where they crawled back into the sheets and each other's arms.  
  
They were asleep in seconds. 


	20. Chapter Twenty: Thief

1 Chapter Twenty: Thief  
  
Authors Notes: Hope you guys weren't too pissed about my slowest update yet. Sorry, but I suffered major writers block the last few days. Anyway, the chapters are out, and I'm full of new ideas. So that's good news, anyway ^_^  
  
For those of you who don't know: Grad 2002 is my School's Graduation Ceremony. Even though I don't graduate ('cause I'm a slacker! Don't be like me!) I still have a lot of things to get done. So I may be busy. I'll try not to rush the chapters.  
  
I tried to blend the emotions of the last chapter. I tried for romance, humor, suspense and a little bit of lust. I'm still going to draw out the actual 'Lemon' chapter. I'm sure a lot of you are waiting. Bulma and Vegeta Lemons are just too good to be true. Well, hope you enjoy this chapter, and, (as always!) have fun.  
  
~J.J  
  
  
  
R'haksin awoke to a terrible sight.  
  
The storm had came and went within hours, but had left nearly a years worth of unrepairable damage. Trees lay scattered and tossed about like leaves, their trunks split down the middle like peeled bananas. Tiny rivers of water flooded down hills and filled up crevasses in the mountains, washing away unfortunate wildlife that had been caught outside. The strange blue lightning had left mountainous holes and craters in the ground where it had struck. It looked like a wasteland.  
  
Yet the buildings and foundations had remained strong throughout the ordeal. The winds had not been strong enough to take them down or deal them damage. Now, uneasy Storkrins awoke to the dull howling of the remaining wind of the storm and stepped out of their marble homes to see what had unfolded during the night.  
  
Strifelon was amongst them. Crooked and bent against the wind he stood, his hunched, lean frame unmoving under his billowing cloak. Treskor and the Council approached him where he stood at the Council doors. His face should have been a mask of smug victory. Instead, it was a face of sadness. Sadness for the human.  
  
They were too stupid to see it.  
  
Now he turned to the massive Treskor, his sadness transformed into an undeniable hatred. "Do you sssee?" he hissed, extending his bony arms outwards. "I wasss right. You ssshould have lissstened." He shambled up to Treskor and stuck his snout against his. "I warned you."  
  
Treskor pushed the older Storkrin away, refusing to admit he was wrong. "The fact that the ssstorm passsed doesss not make you better than thossse who chossse to ignore your wordsss." He hissed back with equal anger.  
  
Strifelon barred his teeth, the anger of long ago battles suddenly calling for him to act now upon this younger fool. "The human now hasss failed." He hissed. "Ssshe did not dessserve sssuch a fate."  
  
Treskor sneered at Strifelon's compassion. "Embrace her asss you like, old one." He pushed against Strifelons chest. "You are insssane, in any cassse."  
  
Turning his back against the mocking laughter, Strifelon shuffled out across the wetness of his planet and headed for the Ship.  
  
  
  
Chi-Chi sighed as she put the last of the china away in the cupboard. Behind her, Gohan worked away at his homework. Outside, her husband stood punching away at invisible enemies. It was the scenario as she had seen it millions of times. Only…now…the phone that hung on her wall beside the fridge would no longer ring at 12:00 afternoon. Bulma would not call her up, talking between unladylike mouthfuls of donuts about her latest invention. It had bothered her so many times before. Only now did she realize how much she missed it.  
  
Bulma.  
  
And Yaumcha, who had become such an alien to everyone he was no longer part of the team, it seemed. She cursed herself silently for the thoughts she had of his beautiful Psychiatrist wooing him with professional office skirts and young lips. She had no right to think such things of a man who lay in the Hospital. A man who had once been so happy and carefree, who had only recently tried to kill himself.  
  
When are you coming back to us?  
  
She found herself wondering, so many times at night, if she was cured or not. She wondered and wondered why it was taking them so long. And that was what worried her. Only the other night, she had taken a blanket and had curled up in the bathtub and cried herself to sleep. Vegeta had said it would only take him at the very most, a week. It had been many weeks and still they had not returned. What was she supposed to think?  
  
It didn't help that she and Goku were fighting. But it was his fault. He wouldn't let her cry; told her tears were not needed because Bulma was fine. He didn't know that. His optimistic attitude was not needed right now. He didn't know anything.  
  
Neither did she.  
  
Chi-Chi turned and left the room before her son could see her cry.  
  
  
  
Bulma knew the answer even before she opened the door.  
  
Strifelon stood on the ships steps, looking worn and tired. Bulma gasped as she saw the expanse of debris that lay out behind him. It was not a wonder that he was tired, having to walk through that.  
  
"It's…"  
  
He shook his head. "We don't know that, earthling female." He said gently. "Not yet." He looked up as the dark form of the Prince appeared over her shoulder, Spider at his hip. Strifelon ordinarily would have remarked about the Roctrons, but there were too many thoughts in his head.  
  
"The storm really dealt this Planet a blow…" Vegeta remarked in a strange voice.  
  
Bulma stared out over the red and blackened earth, the scattered trees, the rivers of water running through everything, and abruptly burst into tears. There was no way the Pystrim could have survived it. No way. She put her head in her hands and sobbed helplessly. They were so close…it wasn't fair!  
  
Strifelon instantly reached out a clawed hand and gently pulled her to him. He had known her but a few days, but he knew her pain as he knew himself. She sobbed freely into his shoulder as he and the Prince shared a knowing look.  
  
This young woman may very well die.  
  
"Do not lossse hope, earthling female." Strifelon said soothingly. "There isss yet a chance. There isss yet a chance."  
  
But there wasn't, and they all knew it. How could a mere plant have stayed intact where trees could not? Vegeta resisted the urge to slam a good- sized hole through the Ships wall as his body convulsed with anger. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fucking fair! Not fair…not when he had just begun to love her. His face darkened, as he remembered why he had never allowed himself to come close to anything. It only brought you pain.  
  
Vegeta listened to her sobs a moment longer before pushing past the two of them. Strifelon whirled on him, grabbing his arm with one hand. "Prince!" he hissed. "Where are you going?"  
  
"I'm going to look for the plant." He said slowly, evenly. His voice was on the very threshold of dangerous anger. Bulma lifted her tear stained face from Strifelon's shoulder and met Vegetas eyes.  
  
"I'm coming with you." She said, pulling away from the Storkrin. Strifelon wheeled on her. "No!" He said loudly. "You cannot. It isss too dangerousss. The landsss have changed. Too much water." He narrowed his eyes. "The mud hasss become too thin. You could sssink."  
  
"He's right." Vegeta said. "You stay here. We'll go."  
  
Bulma shook her head firmly. "I'm coming."  
  
Vegeta lunged at her, his face contorted into a mask of rage. "NO!" he yelled. All through his mind, thoughts of he and Bulma becoming mates were dissipating as quickly as ice in Mexico. It filled him with a sudden, terrible anger that he had not felt since his time on Vegetasei.  
  
But once he saw the wounded look on her face, he stopped. What good was him being angry doing? He wouldn't let her sink. She knew that. He knew that. Just because the Plant was gone…if it was…didn't meant he would ever stop protecting her. He would protect her to the end. He lowered his fists and took a breath to calm himself.  
  
"I…I'm sorry." He mumbled, hardly perceptible. "Hurry, then."  
  
Bulma vanished for a moment and reappeared with her jacket. She hurried down the steps, doing up the buttons as she went. Strifelon stood, incredulous, as he watched the two of them as they began walking out across the expanse of red and black mud.  
  
"Wait!" he cried, his voice hoarse. "Do you even know where the Plant liesss?"  
  
"No." Vegeta somehow replied. He wasn't listening. He was being driven by anger.  
  
Strifelon sloshed through the mud and came up behind them, Spider at his heels. "Then let me accompany you. I know where it liesss."  
  
Bulma turned her face oddly gentle in her time of sorrow. "Please don't. You're tired." She said. "Tell us where to go, and we'll go there. You need to rest."  
  
Strifelon pursed his leathered lips and sighed. "Perhapsss you are right. The plant liesss beyond the cavesss in which you found the Roctornsss. There will be a small clussster of bouldersss. The Plant liesss within their circle."  
  
"Thank you for everything." Bulma said quietly.  
  
"I have not done sssuch a good job." He said regretfully. "I ssshould have protected the Plant myssself."  
  
"You couldn't have done that, Strifelon." She said gently. "Now please, know that I still thank you. And go back to rest, now."  
  
He looked her straight in the eye. "It may yet be there, Bulma."  
  
She smiled. "That's the first time you've called me by my name."  
  
Strifelon smiled sadly at her back as they turned and set out toward the caves.  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
They were indeed a strange party to see marching knee deep through the debris and muck of R'haksin. Storkrins looked up as they walked by in passing, Vegeta often having to stop to rescue Bulma from falls and slips. The mud was terribly hard to walk through, Bulma quickly realized. And only now were her symptoms working up again. The aches in her legs kept shooting up her body with every step she took. She didn't want to be a burden, but she was beginning to see her mistake in insisting that she come.  
  
Spider was always there beside her when she slipped, her fuzzy savior for when the mud would claim her feet a little too tightly. And he seemed all too proud to do so for her, his tails lashing out in his happy way. It was as though he seemed to sense her sadness and wanted to do everything he could to help her feet better.  
  
"One of your more mature attributes." She said softly. Vegeta turned. "What?" he asked.  
  
"I was talking to Spider." She said quietly. She cried out as she slipped. This time it was the Prince who caught her. But he did not steady her and let her continue on. He lifted her easily into his arms and continued walking, his jaw set, his eyes trained ahead.  
  
"Vegeta…" she started to protest, but he silenced her. "I know you're starting to feel weak. I can see it in your eyes. We have quite a ways to go, yet. You won't make it."  
  
"I could…"  
  
"No." he shook his head. "Quit being so stubborn."  
  
"I'm sorry." She wrapped her arms around his broad neck, thankful for the rest. "I didn't want to be a burden."  
  
"Woman, this is not hard for me." He tried to smile for her, but quickly abandoned the idea. Smiles would not come easily for him right now. He silently thanked Kami for the feel of her warm arms around his neck, though he would never admit it. He didn't want to loose this feeling.  
  
"What's going to happen to me?" she whispered suddenly, her face nuzzled into his neck. He could feel the tears as they coursed down her face and dribbled down his collarbone.  
  
"Nothing." He said firmly. "Stop thinking about it."  
  
"I can't." she protested. "I'm scared."  
  
He supposed there was always a time in a human's life when they would be scared, or frightened. Yet there were things about the Human race that he did not understand. Such as why they fell in love. It was strange to him that he was beginning to understand these things. Feeling a sudden overwhelming rush of compassion for the weak female in his arms, he hugged her closer and picked up his step. He supposed he did understand two of the Human emotions because he was starting to experience them himself. He was frightened and scared of what they would find when the approached the circle of rocks that held the Psytrim, and he was feeling what he knew must be love for Bulma.  
  
She stirred in his grasp. "Vegeta…?"  
  
"Hn?"  
  
"My body feels numb…"  
  
He swallowed. "It'll be all right."  
  
"Will you know what to do if it's not there?" she whispered after a moment.  
  
"Woman…I….I can't magically fix everything. I can protect you with my strength, and I can save you with my strength…but there is nothing I can do about a flower that may have died." He paused, fighting down the revulsion in his gut. "I won't lie to you."  
  
She nodded silently into his neck. "That's more than Yaumcha's ever done…"  
  
"Then is it good enough?"  
  
She nodded. "It is."  
  
* * *  
  
An hour later, after much strenuous walking and many slips and near falls, Vegeta arrived at the edge of a clearing, facing a small circle of four rocks, with Bulma in his arms and Spider at his side. The poor Roctorn was nearly exhausted, and seeming to understand that they had ended their journey, he flopped down on his stomach with a sigh and was almost instantly asleep.  
  
The rocks were covered by a thick layer of tough looking moss that had not blow off in the storm's fury. Tiny plants and flowers surrounded the four rocks, growing out at odd angles from beneath them. The gentle wind tousled them around in its spiral like leaves. They whipped back and forth as Vegeta and Bulma both stared at them, wondering what the large boulders hid inside their ring of protection. Hoping against hope.  
  
"Can you stand?" Vegeta asked after the silence had lifted. His voice was surprisingly loud in the clearing. Mud covered his boots and went well past his knees, covering him in a thick brown layer. Bulma nodded and he set her down upon the earth, where she wobbled uncertainly for a few seconds before she managed to right herself.  
  
"Are you ready…?" she whispered. "Do you think…."  
  
She forcefully took Vegeta's hand in her own and together they walked toward the circle of Boulders, Bulma averting her eyes and fixing them on the ground before her. Vegeta stared ahead with an impressive mask of calmness, but inside he was trembling.  
  
Will it all have been for nothing?  
  
Had they come here all for nothing?  
  
Will I loose this woman?  
  
They stopped at the edge of the Boulders, Bulma gripping his gloved hand tightly in her own, her eyes staring at her feet below her. She took a breath and did not wait for Vegeta to say anything. Summoning her courage clenched her free first and forced herself to look.  
  
Time passed uncertainly as Bulma and Vegeta stood, hand in hand, staring down together at the frayed patch of what used to be the magnificent Psytrim Osis, and what was now nothing more than the torn and shredded remains of a flower. Giant, fat crocodile tears rose into her eyes with a burning ferocity, and she let them trail hot rivers down her cheeks without any restraint. The boulders, which had stood for hundreds of years surrounding the sacred birthplace, had not been able to protect the flower as they had so many times before. They had failed this time, to the savagery of the storm. Bulma's hand shook in Vegeta's, who remained calm and tried to look brave for her. Inside, he was dying as much as she was.  
  
Bulma suddenly tore her hand from Vegeta's grip and lunged at the flowers remains, her hands clawing at the shredded pieces that were the only last memories of what was supposed to be her life. She screamed around a throat full of sobs, choking on her anger as she yelled and hammered pale, weak fists against the crumbling red earth. Vegeta made no move to stop her. He knew well what she was feeling. He had felt it hundreds of times before, and was feeling it now. Tiny yellow pieces of the Psytrim fluttered in the cloud of her fury and were crushed to powder beneath her fists.  
  
She sat back, defeated, on her ankles and stared numbly at the hole that she had hammered into the ground. Deep cuts covered her palms where she had clawed and scratched at the earth, grabbing bits and pieces of tiny rock in her rage. Now she let her hands fall to the earth, limp, and watched as her blood dribbled unnoticed against R'haksins soil.  
  
Vegeta finally came forth and gently picked her up by her arms, pulling her against him. "Sssshhhh…" he said, screaming inside. He allowed her to stand and sob uselessly against his chest. Spider watched with eyes that did not understand what they saw. Inside, Bulma's mind was defeated. But her body was well on its way to defeat as well, and he felt it through his own. Bulma's body would not be able to take much more of Fortricres; it was becoming stronger with each passing day. Soon, she would begin to fade.  
  
And then she would die. 


	21. Chapter Twenty One: Reaching

1 Chapter Twenty One: Reaching  
  
Authors Notes: Well, there you have it! The Psytrim is doomed! I'm sure a lot of you are angry with me, but let me say this….you'll see. ^_^ (I can be so cruel)  
  
I'm so sorry for making you all so sad! And please don't think I'm some kind of perverse sadist for saying this…but in a way I'm kind of glad that I made you all so sad, because now I know that the emotion in my story is real/good enough to make you sad! I am sorry though. I have to work on my happier side! ^_^ Sorry for late update!  
  
~J.J  
  
  
  
Vegeta had become so accustomed to his time on Earth, that he immediately went for the telephone out of habit. He cursed himself, holding the now limp and nearly unconscious Bulma in his arms, at his panicked stupidity. What was he thinking? There was only one thing he could do in the situation; he had to go to Strifelon. He was the only one who would and could help them. He had obviously left the ship after they had gone in search of the Plants fate. Now, he was probably back at home.  
  
Why had he walked to find the Pystirm, anyway? In his complete state of rage he had become entirely irrational. It was as though he had lost all sane thought, and had only focused on his anger. He supposed Bulma had done the same, since she had not brought up the idea of taking the ship. He couldn't blame her, though. How could somebody think rationally when they thought they were about to die?  
  
Vegeta gazed down at Bulma. Her condition was worsening by the minuet. The loss of the Pystrim had shocked her enough to jump-start her body into another emotional and physical state of trauma. She always seemed to pick the best times. He walked down the hall toward his bedroom, Spider padding along beside him, trying to slow the hammering of his heart. Upon entering his bedroom he switched on the bedside lamp, put a blanket over her, and placed a slightly damp washcloth over her forehead. She moaned slightly and began to twitch, making Vegeta wonder if any Forae were an issue. He gently pulled back the blanket and lifted her shirt, peering over her skin for any signs of the horrible black dots. Thankfully there were none, but he could tell that if he didn't get help soon they could definitely appear. He stared down at her form for a moment before leaning down to kiss her navel with a surprising gentleness. He savored the feeling of her flesh and the rose, looking down to Spider.  
  
"You take care of her, now." He said firmly. "Don't let anything happen to her while I'm gone." Spider whined in response. He jumped up on the bed and curled up beside Bulma's shivering form, adding his warmth to her. Vegeta smirked at him.  
  
"Good job, dumbass." He ruffled the Roctorn's shaggy ears and then quickly exited the room.  
  
* * *  
  
Vegeta didn't like the idea of leaving Bulma alone, but he had no other choice. The air outside had turned bitterly cold, and the short trek to Strifelon's would have been far too difficult on them both. The mud was so thin now, that Vegeta was practically swimming as he approached the darkened hole in the ground that signaled the Storkrin's odd house. He bent, lifted the heavy latch, and slipped inside before any of the mud could slip in after him. He stood for a moment on the stone steps. Bathed in complete darkness, he listened distantly to the howl of the wind as it slipped through the cracks above, and then he headed down.  
  
* * *  
  
Bulma awoke to a giant pink tongue lapping at her face. She jumped and pulled away before realizing who was applying the ministrations. She managed a tiny smile.  
  
"Hey, Spider." The Roctorn whined happily in response. She tried to sit up but a rush of blood to her head prevented her from doing so. She flopped back down, feeling the swirling dizziness that swelled hotly inside her head. Her face felt as though it were on fire. She pushed the blanket off her body with one weak gesture and looked around. She was in Vegeta's room, but where was Vegeta? A tiny lamp beside the bed was all that remained of his passing. The door stood slightly ajar, and in its frame where the other nine Roctorn's, all looking expectantly at her.  
  
"VEGETA?" she called loudly. No answer.  
  
"Where'd he go?" she rolled over and looked at Spider, who whined some more and lashed his tails around. Knowing she wouldn't get an answer, Bulma sighed and rolled back over onto her side. She then noticed two gigantic blue eyes staring up at her over the rim of the bed. She smiled, and extended her hand with some difficulty. "C 'mere, you." Ghost was lifted onto the bed with a happy chirp, and instantly settled into her comfortably.  
  
The next ten minuets were spent with thoughts of Vegeta and her death.  
  
* * *  
  
Strifelon bolted as quickly as a Storkrin of his age could out of his chair when he saw the Prince approaching. He ran up to the wet, dripping and muddied Sayajin and extended his hands, palms up, imploringly.  
  
"What of the Plant, Prince?" he hissed, eyes thick with worry.  
  
Until now, Vegeta had been able to contain his rage. All through the discovery at the Boulders, he had buried it deep. All the way back, with the fragile woman in his arms, he had held it in check. Now, away from her emotionally unhinged presence, he thrust a steel hand out and grabbed Strifelon around the neck, slamming him against the wall of the room with deadly force. He bent his face close, his chest heaving with unrestrained fury.  
  
"Listen to me, old man. We are both thankful for your help, and I like you, so killing you isn't exactly on my 'to do' list. But here me now…Bulma is dying. There is NO plant. If you don't whip up some fantastic little concoction to save her life, I swear on my honor as a warrior, I will have your head on a silver platter."  
  
Strifelon stared back down at the much smaller man and as calmly as he could; he slowly raised a hand and gently pulled the iron grip away from his neck. Vegeta reluctantly obliged, but made no move to back away. He stayed directly in front of Strifelon and continued to stare him down.  
  
Strifelon rubbed at his painful neck muscles. "I sssee your threat meansss well." he said gratingly. "But hear me. I know of what you feel for the earthling female. It isss there in your eyesss every time you look at her. Ssso I underssstand your anger. I would, Prince, conjure up a magic to sssave her life." He drew a breath. "Yet I cannot. I can, however, conjure up a great many potionsss that may keep the sssymptomsss at bay…" he paused. "For a time."  
  
Vegeta did not even blink, but spoke in a deep, calm voice laced with intentional command. "How long a time." He growled.  
  
Strifelon sighed. "The human body isss not adept at holding the sssymptomsss at bay." He explained. "I have learned thisss from ssstudying Bulma from a dissstance. Ssshe growsss weak. A Ssstorkrin body can hold Fortricresss off for asss long asss two yearsss. Yet, Bulma isss nearing her time."  
  
"How long!" Vegeta snarled. Strifelon held his clawed hands up in front of himself. "Lisssten to me, Prince."  
  
Vegeta crossed his arms and scowled deeply.  
  
"Like I ssaid, ssshe nearsss her end. There are potionsss, however, that can keep her alive…alive until…"  
  
"Until what? Stop stalling!"  
  
"The Plant will grow again." Strifelon hissed, holding up a finger wisely. "Thisss I know. It will grow within an Earth monthsss time. There are no other Psytrim'sss that will grow. She mussst wait."  
  
"A month." Vegeta repeated. "Does she even have that long!?"  
  
"Not without the aid of my potionsss, ssshe doesss not!" Strifelon threw up his arms in his typical fashion. "But I have many! Ah, thousssandsss! I will come to her, make her drink them, and ssshe may very well live until the 30 daysss are passst!"  
  
"If you are lying to me, old man…"  
  
Strifelon tapped his chest with one long claw and smiled. "I have a heart, and you do asss well, Prince. Do not deny yourssself that privilege."  
  
Vegeta turned from the room and raced back to the ship.  
  
* * *  
  
As an automatic reaction to his earlier given command to protect the human female, Spider rose up on his hind legs and growled furiously at the form opening the door. When he saw that it was his beloved master, however, he whimpered and shuffled forward on his belly in a submissive gesture.  
  
"Good boy." Vegeta said absently as he walked past the Roctorn and approached Bulma. He leaned down and shook her gently awake.  
  
"Hmm?" she blinked sleepily at him.  
  
"Hey."  
  
"Where were you…?" she breathed.  
  
"Never mind. Can you stand ok?"  
  
She looked confused. "I…well…sure." She tried to sit up, but a particularly violent wave of nausea rocked through her body and she flopped backward. "I'm sorry…" her bottom lip began quivering. "I don't feel…" she trailed off as Vegeta slipped his arms carefully under her and drew her against him.  
  
"That's fine. I just went to see Strifelon. He has some liquids you'll need to drink."  
  
"What about the Plant…?"  
  
"That's what the potions are for." Vegeta tried to smile. "They're going to fight off the symptoms."  
  
"Vegeta…am I going to…survive?"  
  
He sat down on the bed, not even knowing why he held her, but knowing somehow that he was doing it because he felt he needed to. It was like her last moments with him…or were they? Would these stupid potions work?  
  
"Look…Strifelon said he can make some salves and healing potions that can ward off enough of the symptoms to keep your…" he paused, struggling to say it, "…death….at bay. The Psyrtrim will return in 30 days."  
  
"Another month?" Bulma cried weakly.  
  
"The point is, it may be enough time to keep you…alive."  
  
"It may be?" she whispered.  
  
He nodded. "We don't know. Strifelon will be here shortly. He said there are no other plants that grow around here. The boulders are the only place where the Pystrim grows." He paused. "How do you feel?"  
  
"Numb." Bulma replied shakily. "My legs feel weird…"  
  
Vegeta was just about to see for himself when Spider growled and jumped off the bed. The Sayajin and the Human both whirled their heads around to stare at the dark form standing in the doorway. It was Strifelon, holding a small bag in his left hand. He looked like some strange, dark Doctor come on a house call.  
  
"Good. You're here." Vegeta motioned him inside, where he instantly knelt by the bedside. He looked over Bulma with his warm red eyes and nodded his face a grimace. "Not good. None of it!"  
  
"What…do you mean…?" Bulma asked, trying to raise her head. The effort was tremendous.  
  
"Your body will need many of thessse." Strifelon said. He propped the bag up on the bed and began to rummage through its contents. He pulled out many small vials, handing most to Vegeta, who opened up the drawer in the nightstand and tucked them neatly inside. He watched Stifelon pull the rest out with a fierce intensity.  
  
Strifelon produced a small, oval shaped vial containing a dark blue liquid. He popped open the top and held the vial out to Bulma. Vegeta put one arm behind her and gently lifted her so that she was propped up enough to swallow.  
  
"The liquid doesss not tassste well, earthling female." Stifelon hissed. "But it will eassse your painsss."  
  
He was right about it tasting awful. Bulma had to fight to keep the hot, searing liquid down once it filled her mouth. Once she swallowed she doubled over in a savage coughing fit where she nearly coughed the liquid back up, but managed to hold it down. She took a deep, trembling breath and leaned back down, her chest shaking.  
  
"Are you all right?" Vegeta asked, his face a deep frown.  
  
She nodded. "You're right." Bulma said with a small smile. "It tastes like shit."  
  
Strifelon's muzzle split into his lopsided grin. "Then you know it worksss, earthling female." He popped the lid back on and sat it down on the nightstand beside the bed, where Vegeta tucked it back into the drawer. "Drink it twice more tonight, each time the pain arisssesss." He said, "No more than twice. Tomorrow, visssit me. I ssshall have othersss." He rose from the bed, giving Bulma a fleeting look, before he turned to leave the room.  
  
"Wait!" Vegeta yelled after him. Strifelon turned. "Yesss?"  
  
"Will she…?"  
  
Strifelon just stared at him for a long moment. "It isss hard to tell at thisss point, Prince. We ssshall sssee."  
  
And then he was gone. 


	22. Chapter Twenty Two: By my hand

1 Chapter Twenty Two: By my hand  
  
Authors notes: I hope no one has abandoned reading this story because it is too sad!  
  
To the person who wants to borrow my Roctrons for their Island fic: I don't mind, in fact I'm honored! I only ask that you give me full credit. (As in my name, e-mail and fic title) I don't want my characters being ripped off! But otherwise, if you do, you should e-mail the finished fic to me so that I can read it. I'd like to see what you did with them ^_^  
  
Parts of this Chapter are done by Bulma and Vegeta's P.O.V. The parts that are will have " " indents beside them, so that you know.  
  
I don't want to wake him. He's fallen asleep right beside me, curled up in this peculiar little fashion that makes him look so harmless and adorable. But I can't help it. My legs, starting from the knees, have gone entirely numb. There is a strange little swirling going on inside my stomach, and my temple's throb with the thundering of a relentless pain. My mouth has gone dry, too dry to produce saliva any longer. I think I'm dehydrated. What if I am? I can't seem to move my fingers very well. It feels like I'm paralyzed.  
  
Bulma had to drink. Her throat had seized up beyond to the point where she could no longer swallow and now panic seized her as she realized the importance of needing water and not being able to get it. As quietly as she could, Bulma managed to roll herself to the side, gripping the bedsheets with white knuckled fingers she pulled herself into a half-sitting position, breathing hard, seeing sudden pinpoints of light dancing in her vision. She tried to focus on the dark form of the closet doorknob to her far right but it swirled together into a giant circle of white-hot color and she nearly passed out.  
  
I need to wake him up, but I don't want to give him any more excuses to label me a problem. I can get the water by myself. I'm not an invalid!  
  
Spider's grizzled head rose from the bedsheets and he whined eagerly at her, his six tails thumping once in unison.  
  
What's wrong with me? Why can't I get out of bed?  
  
It was the longest walk in the history of her life. By the time she had gotten down the hall, around the corner, and to the bathroom door, she could have circled the Earth six times. Perhaps it was a slight exaggeration, but she had nearly fallen eight times, and would have, if it were not for the ever present and loyal Spider who stood beside her the entire way. He was easily at a height that she could lean on, and held tightly to the scruff of his neck. She leaned forward to open the bathroom door and felt her knees buckle. Spider tensed his muscles and pressed himself up against her, sensing her trouble, and steadied her until she was well enough to straighten without his help.  
  
"Thanks, boy." She breathed, trying to catch her breath. Her fingers pushed against the door and fumbled for the lightswitch. "You can go back to bed now." She said quietly as she shuffled inside, but Spider came in right behind her.  
  
Spider whined and plopped down on his haunches, a vigilant sentry at his post. She did not press the matter; she knew he would not leave her. "All right. But no peeking."  
  
Before Bulma could even hike her nightgown up around her waist, a sudden wrenching pain tore at her gut and squeezed her insides with a horrific force. Tiny sparkling lights danced in her eyes and she experienced what felt like tons of water slamming into the side of her head, driving deep within her ear, and pummeling her brain. She opened her mouth in a silent cry and clutched the edge of the bathroom sink, her knuckles white. Spider sensed her sudden danger and lunged out of the bathroom to get Vegeta for help. Bulma collapsed seconds after he left, her knees turning to jelly as they slid out from under her. The pain slammed into her with terrible force once more, and she clutched fistfuls of her nightgown, clawing at her belly, in a frantic effort to somehow ease the unbearable pain. Never before had she felt pain like this. In all her life, in all her spills and falls on her Dragon Ball adventures with Goku, never before had anything hurt her this badly. She bit down on her lip hard enough to draw blood, then released it, drawing in a huge, excruciating breath.  
  
She released the breath in a wailing scream. The pain would not release her. It held her stomach in an iron fist and drove at her belly like a railroad spike. Desperately her mind raced, trying to figure out why this was happening to her. She half expected to suddenly give birth, what with the excruciating abdominal pain and all. Fighting to regain control of her body, she tried to pull herself into a sitting position, but the movement sent another fierce jolt of pain through her gut, and this time, she felt her shoulders hunch forward as she threw up. Her stomach screamed at her as it contorted and clenched with the spasms. Her throat burned and tears coursed down her cheeks as she curled up, her entire body quaking violently. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and winced inwardly.  
  
Spider barged into the room where Vegeta lay sleeping. He grabbed the sleeping Sayajin's wrist in his teeth and gently pulled, growling softly in the back of his throat. Vegeta bolted awake with a surprised noise and yanked his wrist free. "What the hell are you doing?" he growled. Instinctively he looked beside him to where Bulma should lay sleeping. Where she had lain was only a soft imprint in the bed sheets. He suddenly knew what Spider was acting so frantic about. He tried not to let the thousand awful possibilities run through his head as he yanked on a pair of sweats and tore off down the hallway, following the bounding furry behind of the giant Roctorn.  
  
Bulma, meanwhile, was curled up on the cold tile of the linoleum floor, her hands slightly curled into fists and resting in front of her. Her head spun with mad thoughts and options as she pondered dazedly about her life and Vegeta as the pain ravaged her. If there were a knife, would she do it? Would it hurt as much as they said it did? She darted her tongue out slowly, her breathing ragged, as she tried to force down the awful taste of bile rising in her throat. It burned, and she fought to stay awake, though with less enthusiasm than she normally would. She was growing tired. She was growing tired of this disease that plagued her, and it angered her, because she was only starting to love the strange man she was living with.  
  
Then, very suddenly, Vegeta was there. She looked up with glazed over eyes and saw him crouched beside her, his face a mixture of anger and panic. Instantly he reached for her to pull her into his arms, but the movement only ripped at her body and she screamed savagely into his chest as he cradled her against him.  
  
Vegeta nearly dropped her. What had he done? Had he hurt her, somehow, by picking her up? He quickly scanned the surface of her body for any wounds. There was nothing. No blood, no sign of an injury.  
  
Dammit Bulma…what the hell is happening to you?  
  
Panting, she looked up into his eyes with an extreme effort that was plain on her sweat-drenched face.  
  
"Kill me…" she whispered hoarsely, tears blurring her image of his face, "Please…"  
  
The words rang through Vegeta's ears as though she had screamed them. But she had whispered them, painfully and softly; a plea to end her misery. Could he do it?  
  
She grabbed at his arm and squeezed it until it nearly hurt. "You can…wish me-" she couldn't finish as another bolt of icicle sharp pain raced through her body, this time through both her stomach and her head. At his side, Spider whined mournfully, his huge orange eyes waiting to see what his master would do. Bulma took a cautious, shaking breath to recover herself, and swallowed hard against a huge lump in her throat. "…wish me back…after you do it…"  
  
"No." he shook his head, trying to look away from her, but the intensity of her bottomless eyes held him and he couldn't. How many times had he killed? Too many to remember. And now, watching this quivering, crying, suffering human plead in his arms, he experienced his first and hardest decision of his life.  
  
"We won't…have to…" she trailed off and squeezed her eyes shut as her gut clenched and unclenched with another spasm. "…wait for….30….days."  
  
She had a point. He could kill her, end this terrible suffering she was obviously enduring with great difficulty, and then he could return to Earth and wish her back with the DragonBalls. She wouldn't have died of the disease…she would have died by his hand. So that would counteract the spell Fortricres held over Shenlongs power. It could work. She wouldn't suffer any longer…  
  
Vegeta stared down at her.  
  
"I can't…" he looked down, suddenly feeling terribly weak and ashamed of himself. "I'm…sorry."  
  
"Please…" she broke off in another heart wrenching scream, this time her entire body thrashed violently in his arms. She slumped forward as she hugged herself around the middle, and numbly wailed into the crook of his neck, "It…hurts so much!"  
  
Vegeta kneeled down on the bathroom floor, his own hands beginning to tremble, as his mind swarmed with thoughts that he only know considered unthinkable. How could he have killed so ruthlessly in the past without any second thoughts or guilt? He had killed so many innocent people, and now, he couldn't end the suffering of the only one he had ever allowed himself to feel affection for. It was such a simple solution…so simple. She would be back within days…weeks. Everything would work out fine.  
  
"Bulma…I…"  
  
She was a ball; now, a piteous crying ball curled in his arms, weeping of what she both wanted and did not want. A conflict of emotion and indecision formed a giant whirlpool inside her heart that was quickly threatening to swallow her up and take her from him forever.  
  
With deliberate care, Vegeta lowered her to the bathroom floor and rose from her crying form. He stood and stared down at her as he summoned a very small but effective amount of energy and focused it into the palm of his hand.  
  
Do it, Vegeta. Please. It hurts so much…it hurts more than anything's ever hurt before. You can do it, can't you? Why can't you just get it over with? Please! You know I don't love Yaumcha anymore. You know I love you…don't you? Don't you know that everything's going to be all right when you get back to Earth? Are you scared of that? Vegeta, just kill me!!  
  
Bulma stared, her eyes out of focus, at the glowing ball of energy that was forming in the palm of Vegeta's hand. She lay on the floor and he stood above her, his arm extended so that his hand aimed straight at her chest. She wondered, strangely, what he would do with her body once he killed her. Would he bury her? Her chest tightened and she sucked in strangled breath after strangled breath as she waited for him to end it. The pain did not subside, but was slightly numbed as the realization that Vegeta was about to kill her dawned. For an extremely long second, everything seemed to slow down, and Bulma forced herself to meet the ebony eyes of a once efficient killer. Now…had she changed that? Would it be different for him, this time? The ball grew larger, crackling with intense energy. She found she wasn't afraid. Merely…curious. But she wanted it to end. She wanted it to end so very badly…  
  
Then, in one terrible moment, the ball of energy died in the gloved hand, and Bulma watched the fingers clench into a fist. She was about to protest, but was silenced by powerful arms encasing her protectively, gingerly, and she felt the shuddering frame of the Prince fall into her.  
  
"Gomen…Bulma…" she heard him whisper, his voice tortured. "Not by my hand…not by my hand." 


	23. Chapter Twenty Three: Good morning, Suns...

Chapter twenty-three: Good morning, sunshine.  
  
Authors Notes: So? Tell me! Is it getting intense? ^_^ I hope so. I want to keep all you guys hooked! Just think…37 more chapters left! *ugh* I can't believe I still have that much more to write…good thing I'm enjoying doing it! Don't worry. I won't quit in the middle of this fic. That would be cruel!  
  
Sorry for all the depressing chapters! I just watched Titanic, and that movie (always) makes me cry, and it always makes me depressed. As pathetic as that is, it's true. So this chapter might have a little 'I'll never let go, Jack!' action in it. Just kidding!!  
  
Enjoy.  
  
~J.J  
  
When one awakens in a foreign room, they experience a brief but unsettling moment of disorientation, which can quickly turn to panic. This was the case for Bulma Briefs when she sat up unsteadily and stared directly into a pair of enormous red eyes  
  
She jumped and pulled the covers up over herself, unaware still that she was even in a bed, but doing it out of instinct. She quickly determined that the eyes belonged to a Storkrin, and that fact settled her beating heart enough that she could regain control of its frantic pace. Yet only somewhat…she was still extremely startled.  
  
"Calm down, misss." The Storkrin said. Whoever he was, he was definitely young. He was not much taller than she was, which was very strange among their race. He wore the same brown cloak that they all did, but his face was in clear view and not hidden like most. She lowered the covers somewhat and looked around for Vegeta. He was no where to be seen. This started her heart racing again.  
  
The young Storkrin seemed to sense her thoughts and tried a smile for her benefit. "Do you worry of the Prince, Bulma?"  
  
Bulma stared openly. "What did you call me?"  
  
The Storkrin looked slightly afraid. "Bulma…" he repeated cautiously. "That…isss your name?"  
  
She nodded; feeling the sort of grin that usually sent people to insane asylums cross her face. "It's just strange. Your kind has never once called me by my name. Except for Strifelon." She paused. "Where am I?"  
  
The Storkrin smiled in an oddly friendly manner. "You are in Ssstrifelon'sss cavern, Bulma." He paused and smiled bigger. "I am hisss ssson."  
  
She sat up, ignoring the small wave of nausea roll over her, and frowned. "His son? I didn't know he had a son."  
  
The Storkrin lowered his head, looking slightly abashed. "He tendsss to hide it from othersss." He said quietly. "My name isss Onyx."  
  
"Where is Vegeta?" she asked him. "Is he here? How long have I been here?"  
  
Onyx leaned forward across the bed and lowered his voice considerably. "Do you not remember? You…asssked the Prince to kill you, to end your sssuffering. He did not agree with your requessst." Onyx paused, as if trying to remember how the story went. "He…sssaid you blacked out. He knew Ssstrifelon would know what to do. He took you here."  
  
"In the middle of the night?"  
  
Onyx shrugged. "I wasss sssleeping. My father prepared a sssalve for you. He made you eat many thingsss, and then you ssslept."  
  
"So I've been sleeping since then?" Bulma asked.  
  
Onyx nodded. "Do you feel better?"  
  
Bulma was surprised to find that she did. "Yes." She nodded. "I…do." She looked up. "So, where is Vegeta? I'd like to speak to him."  
  
Onyx rose obediently from the bed. "Do you wisssh for me to find him?"  
  
"Yes, thank you."  
  
Onyx nodded and left, leaving her alone in the strange room. She had never been in this part of Stifelon's house before, nor did she know he had a son. Onyx was extremely well mannered and kind, a surprise she found pleasant. He, his father, and Koru had been the only Storkrins to be kind to her since she had arrived on R'haksin. Bulma sighed, remembering well the previous night and her words. Had she truly asked Vegeta to kill her? What had she been thinking? In her moment of excruciating pain, she supposed she had not been thinking rationally. She was suddenly ashamed of herself. That had not been fair of her to place such a weight on his shoulders. She should not have asked such a thing of him.  
  
But then…  
  
Why had he refused?  
  
She looked up when the door clicked and a ragged looking Vegeta stepped into the room. He closed it behind him and approached her bed cautiously, trying to hide his concerned and tentative movements from her. She looked at the dark circles under his eyes and suddenly understood that they were her fault. He sat down on the edge of the bed and stared at her through troubled eyes.  
  
"How are you feeling?" he asked quietly, his face a mask she could not read.  
  
"I feel a lot better." She replied just as softly. "Vegeta…I…I'm sorry." She looked away, suddenly afraid that he was angry with her. "You know that…don't you?"  
  
He didn't say anything. She knotted her fingers together and nervously picked at a hangnail. "I…shouldn't have asked you…"  
  
"Do you need anything to drink?"  
  
She looked up. He looked so terribly tired. Had he been by her side all through the night? Why did he look so…sad? Especially when he should be enraged with her? She didn't understand. She shook her head. "I'm fine." She whispered.  
  
"Hungry?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Do you need-  
  
"Vegeta!" she cut him off sharply. "Stop it! I wasn't thinking!" she grabbed his hands in her own and pulled them to her, feeling only a tiny resistance. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked you to do that. I…" she took a deep breath. "I couldn't think straight….the pain was just to…intense. Are you angry with me?"  
  
"No." he said. He hadn't pulled his hands away.  
  
She asked the question she had been dying to know the answer to since she woke up; "Why…didn't you?"  
  
Now he tried to pull away. She held on tightly, firmly, not allowing him any slack. "I won't let you run away from this one." She said. "Not this time. Answer me!"  
  
He turned and glared at her sharply, the first of his anger showing through. "You know, woman, maybe I am angry with you! Maybe I'm fucking angry as hell with you because of this stupid feelings you're making me have!" he got up from the bed, yanking easily free of her grip. "To hell with these stupid human emotions! I've never experienced them before, and now look where they've got me!" he yelled.  
  
She glared back at him, though her glare was more a glare of helpless fear. "Then quit running away from them and let them lead you!" she cried. "They're not evil!"  
  
He scowled and slammed the mattress with one fist. "I could kill anyone I wanted before I met you! I could kill a defenseless child if I felt like it, without any remorse, or any guilt! Last night…" he trailed off, struggling with his words, "…last night…I couldn't! I couldn't kill a whining, sniveling weakling that lay at my feet! Even when she begged!! That's why I'm angry! You've ruined the only thing that's ever kept me together!"  
  
"Don't you think you should thank me for that?" she asked quietly.  
  
That shut him up. It silenced him because inside, that part of him that was he was always trying to ignore said that he should thank her. But as usual, arrogant to the end, he only scowled in response and stayed where he stood.  
  
"Do you feel well enough to go back to the ship, yet?" he grumbled, avoiding her eyes.  
  
"Yes." She sighed. "I do."  
  
"Good. Then get dressed and let's go."  
  
Before he could leave the room Bulma was out of the bed and in his arms, hugging him the way they had both been yearning for, for the last few weeks.  
  
"These past few weeks have been so strange, Vegeta…I don't know what to think." She said quietly into his shoulder as he ran his hands slowly up and down her back. "I feel like some part of you is avoiding me."  
  
"It is." He replied, troubled.  
  
"Why?" she lifted her head from his shoulder and looked up into his dark eyes. "Tell me?"  
  
Just then, in a painfully well executed movement; Onyx opened the door and ruined the moment entirely. Sensing that he had done so, he blinked large red eyes awkwardly and then backed away, prepared to leave. Bulma left Vegeta's embrace and ran to him, all smiles.  
  
"It's all right." She said, opening the door wide for him. He stood, as if not knowing what to do, and then stepped inside, obviously embarrassed.  
  
"I want to thank you before I leave." Said Bulma. "I'm sure both you and your father helped."  
  
If his skin could have turned any redder, it chose that moment to do so. He only nodded dumbly.  
  
Bulma smiled, shrugging on her pair of pants that had been laid out neatly across the end of the bed. Onyx turned his eyes away tactfully, but Vegeta felt obliged to stare openly, and, as Bulma noticed with a hint of pleasure, admirably.  
  
"Anyway, thank you so much." She said. "I hope you and your father can work things out." She said, ignoring the surprised look on the young Storkrins face. She smiled knowingly. "I can tell these sort of things." She said softly.  
  
"I hope you are feeling well tomorrow, Bulma." Onyx hissed, his clawed hands clasped in front of him. She thanked him again and then turned to the impatient Prince.  
  
"Well?"  
  
"I want you to eat." He said gruffly, pushing her past Onyx and out the door, through the adjoining room, and into another, which Bulma learned quickly to be the kitchen. The whole while she protested weakly, wanting to get back to the ship and her belongings, wanting to be alone with Vegeta, but she knew she was starving. It surprised her that the thought of food was actually making her mouth water.  
  
There was a strange oval table in the center of the room, cluttered with vials and potions and strange pieces of paper. Vegeta hurried to it; brushed half of it off with a sweep of his arm, and taking (some) care to dispose of the empty vials in what she assumed to be the sink. He pulled out a chair.  
  
"Strifelon should be here any moment." He said shortly. "Sit here. He'll give you something to eat." He gave her a look that said to consider otherwise was a bad idea.  
  
"Where are you going?" she asked, seating herself in the chair. The table was marble, like all other Storkrin furniture, but despite the table's coolness, the room itself has a strangely pleasant feeling to it. She looked around and noticed herbs and strange vine like weeds growing out of the sides of the walls. In the distance, something was bubbling. She hoped it wasn't the awful brown stuff they had almost eaten at the Storkrin festival.  
  
"I need some fresh air. I'm not hungry." He said. Before she could protest, he was out the door, leaving her alone in the strange kitchen. She felt oddly displaced, and for a fleeting moment, considered racing after him. But Strifelon appeared in the doorway, wearing a surprising outfit. It fit well on his lean frame; a robe of intertwining colors with a great sash tied about the waist. It was odd to see the man without the typical Storkrin cloak on. She smiled in greeting.  
  
"Earthling female," he rasped in return, a gentle smile on his face, "Do you feel well enough to eat?"  
  
"Depends." Bulma said, taking care not to offend her friends hospitality. "I don't know if my stomach is up to handling anything…well…you know…"  
  
He raised a thorny eyebrow.  
  
"Brown and bubbly with eyeballs." She finished quickly. "I really don't know if I could eat something like that again."  
  
Strifelon seated himself across from her with an audible grunt and nodded in understanding. "Ah, yesss. A Ssstorkin delicacy. Skal'mae." The word rolled off his tongue with a surprising tone. "I sssee now why you would sssay sssuch a thing." He narrowed his eyes and thrust an arm out at the table. "I have prepared a breakfassst for you, and ssstill you insssult me!"  
  
Bulma paled. "I…"  
  
Stifelon laughed. "A joke, earthling female." He chuckled deeply, breaking off into a cough. "A joke."  
  
She felt her body relax, and managed to return the smile in kind. "I see." She said.  
  
"Now," Strifelon settled himself more comfortably, "I asssume you have met my ssson?" he brushed absently at the robes, and then looked over his shoulder. "ONYX!" he bellowed. A moment later the young Storkrin hurried into the room, disturbingly obedient, and looking quite flustered. The two exchanged a look that made Bulma feel tensed.  
  
"Yesss, father?"  
  
Strifelon waved a hand at the adjoining room, indicating the food, and Onyx hurried to fetch it. Bulma leaned forward on her elbows once he had left and frowned disapprovingly at Strifelon.  
  
"He listens well." she paused. "He almost looks afraid of you."  
  
Strifelon lifted a bony finger. "Ah," he said, a troubled look coming to his wizened face, "There are troublesss admissst the two of usss."  
  
Bulma decided not to press the issue. Just in time, she decided, as Onyx returned to the room carrying two trays of, much to Bulma's delight, delicious looking food. He hurried to her and gracefully placed the steaming bowl of watery-like soup in front of her, then placed the next in front of his father. It made her think of a restaurant, and suddenly, she felt terribly homesick. Onyx looked fleetingly at the two of them before hurrying off to another part of the house to be alone.  
  
Bulma lifted the Storkrin's version of a spoon and stirred it absently into the liquid, letting the steam heat her face, and inhaling the tart but inviting aroma.  
  
"Eat." Said Strifelon, slurping some of the liquid.  
  
"Everyone seems to be telling me that." She said, somewhat annoyed. "I'm sorry…I didn't mean to sound…"  
  
Strifelon put his spoon down and stared at her. "I sssenssse that you are dissspleasssed." He said. Bulma looked up, blushed, and shook her head quickly. "Oh no, not with the food, it smells great! I just mean…"  
  
"Calm down." Strifelon said softly. He waited, watching her fidget with her hands in her lap. "Would it be the Prince?"  
  
She looked up sharply. "You always seem to know everything." She said softly.  
  
"He and yourssself mussst work out your troublesss together." He said, retrieving his spoon and dipping it once more into the dark liquid. "There isss much love for you inssside hisss heart."  
  
Bulma looked down; suddenly knowing her face was tomato red. "Do…" she looked back up hesitantly. "Do you think so…?"  
  
Strifelon only smiled. "Eat, earthling female. You do not want to keep him waiting."  
  
* * *  
  
Outside, Vegeta leaned back on his palms and took a long drag off the Storkrin's equivalent of a cigarette. He had climbed out of Strifelon's household 'tunnel' and had emerged to sit ponderously atop a formation of smooth boulders to contemplate a number of things.  
  
He looked out across the red, bleak expanse of dust coated earth and wondered briefly what it was he was doing here, and where the rest of his life and his soul had gone.  
  
Of course, he knew where most of it had gone. But it was knowing that he had allowed it to be taken by her. That was what was gnawing at him. He took the small back paper from between his lips and blew the bitter air from his mouth. He flicked the rest of it into the rocks at his side and watched it flicker for a moment before the ember died out completely.  
  
Another thing that was choking him was the fact that he knew she was right. He was always avoiding her. At every corner, at every question she asked that even somewhat challenged or intimidated him, he backed off and remained silent. It wasn't fair to her. But then, neither was asking him to murder her.  
  
He scowled at the memory.  
  
He knew the second that she had asked what his answer would be. No matter how hard he may have wanted to, her death would not come. Not by his hand, anyway. It would have made the entire trip pointless, anyhow. Or would it? He knew somewhere within that the trip had not been pointless at all. That in fact, their being here and sharing of both pleasant and unpleasant experiences had straightened both of them and had brought them together.  
  
"Vegeta?"  
  
He turned and saw her standing behind him. Her hair was hanging around her shoulders and she wore untied tennis shoes. Her tiny nose sniffed the air delicately.  
  
"What's that smell?" she seated herself very close to him without invitation. He felt oddly annoyed.  
  
"A Storkrin cigarette." He replied loftily. "Why?"  
  
Her face wrinkled in disgust. "It's very stinky."  
  
He shrugged and stared across at her from the corner of his eye. Suddenly, without any warning, she leaned into him with a miserable sounding sigh and took one of his hands in her own. He tensed, as he always did, because he was still not used to being this close to humans. But she smelled so good…and so it prevented him from moving away as he typically would.  
  
"Vegeta…?"  
  
"Hn?"  
  
"I miss you."  
  
"What?" he scowled down at the aqua cascade of hair. "That doesn't make any sense. I'm right here."  
  
"I mean," she said, her fingers sliding between and out of his, "That you've been avoiding me. Like always." She sat up and stared boldly into his face. "And I'm sick of it."  
  
"Did you come out here to lecture me?" he frowned, trying unsuccessfully to pry his fingers from hers. She always gave him the strangest mixture of feelings; he wanted to get away from her sweetness because it made him oddly uncomfortable, but at the same time he desperately wanted to be as close as he could. The feelings always collided unpleasantly with one another and left him with a sour, lingering sensation.  
  
"No." she said calmly, which gave him the impression that she was prepared to win this argument. "I came here to know why." She dug her hands into his arm with an intense fierceness and leaned her face close to his. "I know this doesn't hurt." She said through clenched teeth, "…now. But I can make it hurt. And I will, if you don't tell me what's going on."  
  
Vegeta felt an amused, cruel smirk spreading across his face. "Are you threatening me, woman?" he asked, genuinely bewildered. "Do you honestly think you could hurt me?"  
  
Bulma tried not to return the grin. "Yes." She said as firmly as she could. "I have very sharp nails."  
  
Vegeta snorted, the smirk growing wider. "Really. Show me what you've got, then." He said. He nodded to her hand gripping his arm. "Go on."  
  
"Vegeta!" Bulma protested. "You're avoiding the question! AGAIN!" she impulsively dug her nails into his arm, not as hard as she could, merely testing him. When he gave no reaction, her internal 'Vegeta Annoyance' nerves reacted and she scratched into his flesh with force. He flexed instinctively; the corded steel muscles in his arms preventing her nails from getting any skin whatsoever. The red lacquered nails only broke off like twigs in his muscle and she pulled back, clutching her hand. "OW!" she yelled, offended, into his grinning face. "No fair!"  
  
"I thought you said you could hurt me." He said smugly. "Though you did try hard…for a woman."  
  
That did it. Bulma forgot all traces of the answer she had been trying to worm out of him, and simply lunged for his body with a strangled cry of frustration. Vegeta caught her the second she hit him and they fell, rather roughly, off of the boulders that they had been sitting atop. Bulma landed hard on her bottom with Vegeta following close behind, though he managed to lunge to the side to avoid crashing into her with his full weight. She recovered and jumped up, finding her body surprisingly nimble and refreshed. Vegeta was up a split second after her, and they collided, both of them trying to hold their laughter in, while Bulma struggled to find an opening in the Sayajin's defense while trying, at the same time, to ignore the bruise on her behind.  
  
Vegeta, meanwhile, was having the most fun he had had in weeks. Here was this diseased, hilarious weakling of a woman trying to actually get a hit in on him, Prince of the Sayajins. He watched her clumsy antics and couldn't help but let a tiny burst of amused laughter leave his lips. She truly was an idiot.  
  
It proved to be impossible to hit him. Vegeta darted close to her, his face alive with pure excitement and adrenaline her own flustered with the exertion of trying to get at one of the strongest warriors in the Universe. He fake-lunged at her, fooling her for only a second. It was enough. She dove for what she thought was his unprotected side, and he grabbed her wrist and spun around, slamming her gently but forcibly into his chest. She was trapped in his arms before she even knew what had happened. She looked up into his cocky face and growled.  
  
"Jerk!" she said, half-laughing. She struggled half heartedly before giving up and slumping against him.  
  
"Really, woman," Vegeta said, "That wasn't much of a fight." He paused. "Although, you surprise me." His voice quieted, catching her attention. She stopped her struggles altogether and looked curiously at him. "What?"  
  
He leaned down close to her, his powerful arms relaxing enough to allow her comfort. "You really have no idea how much that cheered up a downright shitty morning."  
  
"Vegeta…?"  
  
Before she could be any more astonished that she already was, he had caught her lips with his own. The delicious sensation prevented her from doing anything intelligent, and so she merely allowed his gentle ministrations to continue while they stood, looking quite absorbed, under the red-light of the R'haksin morning. At last she opened up to him, enough that their tongues touched for the briefest of seconds, and moved closer into him.  
  
In that one moment, everything that had been pissing her off vanished and left her with the unmistakable feeling that suddenly, inexplicably, everything was going to be fine. 


	24. Chapter Twenty Four: A tale of two daugh...

Chapter Twenty Four: A tale of two Daughters  
  
Authors Notes: You all may have noticed how long it took for this Chapter to come out. The reason for that is: on Thursday my father tore up my computer desk and built me a brand new one! So my computer was out of commission for three days. Sorry about that!  
  
Also: I got my snake tattoo done today! It took 2 hours, and it hurt like a beeatch! I'm scanning up pics to send to those of you who'd like to see it along with pictures of Spider and Koru.  
  
Enjoy this late chapter! ^_^  
  
Things were beginning to brighten on R'haksin.  
  
Despite the obvious feelings of apprehension that lingered in both Bulma and Vegeta's minds, Bulma had the feeling that they were beginning the long journey down the road to a definite improvement in their relationship.  
  
She sat back against the cool side of the ship and smiled to herself. Ever since yesterday, when she had awoken at Strifelon's and kissed Vegeta, she had been feeling extraordinarily healthy. It was very strange that she did, considering the fact that only one night ago she had begged to be put out of her misery. Now, she felt ashamed with herself, and felt stupid that she had been so selfish.  
  
The weather seemed to have changed overnight. Now, the sky had turned from its dreary dark red to a light pink, and the air was humid and warm. Ahead of her, most of R'haksin still lay in shambles from the storm, but a number of Storkrin's had taken the liberty of cleaning up after their Planet's mess. Bulma had jumped at the chance to get some color in her legs and arms; Fortricres was making her pale and sickly looking. Now, she sat outside, surrounded by Spider, his brothers and sisters, and Ghost, who was asleep in the crook of her neck. She was expecting Vegeta at any second; they were going to chance another trip to see Koru. It had been days since she had, and it was making Bulma feel guilty. Beside her, Spider sniffed eagerly at the small basket of food and drinks that Bulma had prepared on a whim for her imprisoned friend.  
  
The subject of Koru remained strong in Bulimia's thoughts. It always played on her conscience, but she was afraid to confront Vegeta about it, especially now that they had finally seemed to overstep their boundaries and come closer to each other. She didn't pretend to know that being in a relationship with Vegeta was going to be easy. She knew it was going to be terribly hard, if not impossible. She smiled, feeling the warmth of the planet bathe her face. But that wouldn't bother her, not now, not when she had gotten this close.  
  
She looked over at Spider and his brothers and sisters. Each and every one was getting bigger by the day, even though Spider grew at faster rate than they did. Ghost remained the same size, although his fur was darkening to an almost black shade. She smiled and reached up to ruffle his ears. His tiny body stirred but did not awaken.  
  
"You ready?"  
  
She spun around to see Vegeta standing behind her. She hadn't heard him creep up. She smiled and stood, Ghost finally awakening and slipping with a startled chirp into her expectant arms. With an angry grunt he was satisfied to jump down and walk beside her.  
  
"Yes." She said. "I'm really looking forward to seeing Koru. I've missed her."  
  
"Yes, well," Vegeta paused, looking uneasy. "There's something about this trip that I don't quite like."  
  
"What do you mean?" she asked.  
  
"I don't have to explain myself to you." He replied testily. Instead of yelling at him as her usual reaction, Bulimia walked over to him and embraced him with a warm hug. "What?" she said innocently. "It's a beautiful day, we're together…nothing could go wrong."  
  
"Don't." he shrugged her away. Something was obviously troubling him enough to make him this testy. Although, and Bulma knew this well, Vegeta was always testy. She stepped away from him and looked curiously into his face, which was partly blinded by the sun.  
  
"What?" she asked softly.  
  
Instead of answering her he bent at the waist and retrieved the basket of food seconds before it was snatched away by the increasingly brave Spider. Bulma sighed. Why were getting answers out of him so difficult?  
  
"Let's get this over with." He said. "Come on."  
  
As Bulma fell into step beside him, she found herself paying attention to little details that she normally wouldn't have. She inspected his strong jaw line, his stubble (which she found strangely sexy) and noticed the way his hands hung by his sides as he walked. She found her eyes especially appreciative of the fact that he was wearing his white dress shirt, unbuttoned half the way down. She was becoming more and more attached to this enigma of a man, and she knew it; a part of her brain screamed DANGER at her every chance it got. She sighed and took his arm in her own, ignoring the startled look on his face. Why should she be in danger? Vegeta wouldn't hurt her. She had proven that to the both of them with her own self pity.  
  
As they walked, she remembered when she had asked him if he was going to make love to her. She remembered it with vivid detail. She hadn't even given him a chance to say anything; she had been to wrapped up in her own embarrassment. She wondered what he would have said if she had not silenced him.  
  
She noticed him gazing at her. She lifted a hand against the sun and looked up at him, stepping carefully around overturned logs and small rocks. "What?"  
  
"I was going to ask you the same thing." He replied. Ahead of them, Spider was chasing some small, terrified animal through the underbrush.  
  
"It's nothing." Bulma looked quickly away. As always, whenever she thought such thoughts, she felt that nagging, insistent heat in her thighs that begged to be tended to.  
  
"I get shit for not answering you." He shot back.  
  
"Fine!" she barked. She'd kissed him, slept beside him, been in the bathtub with him…so why couldn't she admit one dirty little thought? "I'm ashamed with myself for thinking such thoughts about you right now." She confessed. "After what I did to you…and especially considering the predicament we're in."  
  
Vegeta's demonic smirk spread, only increasing her desire for him. Oh, Kami, why did she have to be such a sucker for the bad boy types?  
  
"Oh?" he stopped in the middle of the trail. "What thoughts would these be? Do tell." He set the basket down, a bit too hard for Bulma's liking, and lightly fingered the exposed flesh of her collarbone. She heated.  
  
"I don't have to explain myself to you, either." She said smugly. She tried to remain calm and collected in his arms, but the closeness of his bare chest was too much. She shifted uncomfortably, trying to ease the rising heat in her crotch.  
  
"I'm curious…" Vegeta moved closer to her. Their chests were now touching, and Vegeta privately reveled in the sensation of her pert breasts rubbing through the thin fabric against his own skin. He wanted desperately to tear the cumbersome shirt off and force her to the ground, but he couldn't do that. Not here, and not now.  
  
He would have his fun, though.  
  
Bulma tried to back away but she couldn't. His thigh brushed hers and she felt the brief contact of his insanely hard member brush against her. "They're…just thoughts…" she complained, wanting him to ravage her until she couldn't walk for a week.  
  
Vegeta nudged her nose with his own, his fingers deftly brushing hair from her neck. His warm tongue darted out and wet her lips with his kiss, softly enough to entice her for more. She moaned softly and leaned into him, returning the kiss shyly.  
  
"What kind of thoughts…?" Vegeta murmured. He pressed himself against her, letting the feel of his hardness press fully into her belly. This time his tongue parted her lips and warred briefly with her own. Their breathing was increasingly rapid as it exhaled through their noses, mingling together as they fought to get closer. Somewhere in the middle of it, Bulma managed to wrap her leg around him, and had somehow allowed him to grab her wrists and press them up against the tree he had backed her into. Her head spun as Vegeta's slick, hot tongue flicked at her neck as he chuckled, tickling her skin, his fingers pulling down on the fabric that held her breasts. She felt the fabric slip, felt her breasts freed, and then whimpered in pure ecstasy as his lips suckled gently at her nipples. She bucked her hips against his, wanting him inside of her so terribly bad. Vegeta exhaled loudly and suddenly as her hand slipped between them and grasped him firmly in one hand. She pushed him against her crotch, panting into the crook of his neck.  
  
With an effort, Vegeta pulled himself away from her, and, still holding her wrists above her head, stared intently at her with lust filled eyes. "Woman…" his voice was thick and husky, "I swear on every bit of honor and pride that I have inside of me, that I will have you tonight." He pinched one of her nipples between his finger, and then slid his hand down to suggestively brush against her crotch. "Not now…but tonight." He smirked.  
  
Bulma whimpered, pleadingly, not the least bit ashamed at having been reduced to near begging. "Now…" she complained, leaning forward to kiss him. "Now…please…"  
  
Vegeta just about lost it. But he managed, with a supreme effort, to tear himself away. He looked longingly at her for a second before turning back to retrieve the basket of food.  
  
"Tonight." He said, over his shoulder. "I'll make you scream."  
  
* * *  
  
The Dungeons were warm today.  
  
Koru lay on her side, trying to soak up the tiny ray of sunlight that fell across her cell floor. She stared blankly ahead and chewed slowly on the bitter vine that she held in her claws. Breakfast was always the same as lunch and dinner; she hated all three of them.  
  
Yet she had to eat the vine in order to stay alive. It may have been the same thing for years, but her taste had becomes so accustomed to it that she hardly even knew she was eating in anymore. She craved the daring, exotic food of the Storkrins. She remembered well the food that Bulma had brought her from the festival.  
  
Koru longed for Bulma's company. It had been the only company she had had in the long years of living down here. No one spoke to her. No one could. The other females were mute; products of some of the more 'unpleasant' Storkrin's cruelty. Being who she was, Koru had been left mostly undamaged for her part. It was the only thing she valued herself for….her tribal status.  
  
It had spared her many things.  
  
She assumed that now, most of the females were either dead or very close to death. She could never see the other cells across from her except for in the mornings when the tiny rays of sun would somehow sneak their way through cracks and down passages to light them up. This was the reason she hated breakfast the most…but she had learned not to look. It made the vines go down easier.  
  
Now her pointed ears perked up as she heard the familiar sound of footsteps on the long spiral of marble staircase. She rolled defensively into the back of her cell, forgetting all previous thoughts. She lifted her nose to the air and sniffed delicately. She relaxed. It was Bulma…and…she sniffed some more. A Roctorn. And a Sayajin.  
  
Spider and Vegeta. Had that been their names?  
  
The aqua hair came into view, tiny patches and slits of the sunlight accenting its healthy shine. Bulma smiled. She was holding a basket, which Koru could already tell was holding food. Her mouth watered.  
  
"Koru!" Bulma ran to the cell, taking the massive woman's hands through the bars. "I'm sorry I waited so long to see you."  
  
Koru smiled back. Behind Bulma, the dark form of the Sayajin held back in the shadows. She ignored him.  
  
"How are you?" Koru looked her over quickly. "Are you faring well?"  
  
Bulma smiled quickly. "Never mind me. I brought you food." She opened the basket and pulled out random items so that she could pass them to her through the bars. "Although…this is Human food. I don't know if you'll like it."  
  
Koru took and inspected the small block of soft, orange material. She sniffed it, then took a small bite from the corner.  
  
"It's cheese." Bulma said. "Cheddar."  
  
"Cheddar?" Koru repeated around a rather large mouthful. She liked the cheese.  
  
Spider padded up to Bulma's side and plopped down beside her. Ghost chirped, startled, and then snuggled into the big animal's side. Bulma grinned at the two of them. "They're getting much friendlier. Spider doesn't torment poor Ghost anymore."  
  
Koru smiled back, licking her lips. She had finished the cheese, regretfully, and wanted more. She looked hopefully at the basket. "Hey, little guy." She extended a hand. Ghost chirped and ran to it, nuzzling her fingers. She giggled again.  
  
"Did you miss me?" she ruffled his ears. "Bulma better not let you stay with me anymore. You'll just get lost again." She looked past Bulma's shoulder at Vegeta, who was walking away from the two of them.  
  
"Hey!" she barked. He didn't stop. "What are you doing?"  
  
Vegeta paused in front of a cell, where a small scampering noise was heard. He stared into the darkness, then leaned back, his hands in his pockets. He glared at her.  
  
"There are other women down here." He announced. "Do you just ignore them?"  
  
"They are mute." Koru said quietly. "And sickly."  
  
"You are sickly. Would you not have us bring food to them as well?"  
  
Vegeta stared through the iron bars at the small Storkrin woman who blinked back at him dumbly, as though there were no thoughts left in her head. Her hands clutched a small object to her chest, and her scaled skin was stretched taunt across her bones. She looked like a bloody skeleton.  
  
"Are you mute?" He asked her quietly. She blinked at him some more, but said nothing in return. Whenever he moved, she would move back further.  
  
Koru sighed. She was beginning to remember horrible memories. Things better left buried. She glared at the Prince's back, and Bulma remained silent. "Most of us down here are dead." She said quietly. "I do not know of half of the prisoners down here. The Dungeons stretch for miles. It's our burial grounds; a place we were shoved deep inside years ago to be forgotten."  
  
"I know the story." Vegeta said.  
  
Something deep inside Koru snapped. "You don't know shit!" she cried, lunging against the bars. "So don't pretend you know how I felt that day! Because you have no idea!!"  
  
Bulma looked curiously at her friend through the fading light. "What day?" she asked quietly. "Koru…?"  
  
Koru looked up at her with a sad expression. "The day they took my sister and I down here."  
  
* * *  
  
Koru stared at her mother's face, drawn tight with fear. She tried to make sense of what she had said, but she couldn't manage. Fortricres…not her. She couldn't be! She was the De'lkili. The most important tribal status for Storkrin females. She had so much more to do...  
  
She took her mothers hands in her own, ignoring the way she flinched when she did. "There is a cure!" she said frantically. "Treskor will know of a cure!" around the two of them, where they stood in a semi-circle of serious looking Storkrins, she could hear angry grunts.  
  
"No." Her mother said softly. "Not for you. There are many infected. They will take you from me." She looked down at her hands. "Do you remember the great hole Treskor and his men dug?" she smiled with frightening detachment. "It is for you. And your sister."  
  
"NO!!" Koru screamed. "Mother, Treskor would never do such a thing! He loves me! I am important!" she lunged at her. "I am the De'lkili!"  
  
Her mother stepped away from her, holding hands imploringly up. "Please…understand, my daughter. You cannot be here. You cannot infect us. Treskor will not kill you. You will be shut away."  
  
"MOTHER!!"  
  
Behind her, it took five Storkrin men to hold her panic back. She struggled against them, refusing to go wherever it was they would take her without a struggle. Her head whirled, trying to catch sight of her beloved. She caught him, his beady eyes in the crowd, but he shrank from her gaze. "TRESKOR!" she screamed, her face breaking into a smile. He would stop this. He would not let them take her away. She was their female matriarch. They would be lost without her.  
  
"TRESKOR!?" she dug strong heels into the ground and pushed away from the men, breaking free for only a second, running to Treskor. But she lost sight of him, temporarily, only to have him grab her from behind. She gasped with relief and went to turn in his arms, but he held her, his massive bulk stopping her from moving even an inch. A shadow of betrayal crossed her thoughts and she opened eyes wide.  
  
"Treskor…?" she whispered. "No…"  
  
"You are infected." He hissed, lowering a once sultry and loving voice into her ear. Now, it was changed. It was cold. "I cannot have you infecting any othersss."  
  
"No…no…NO!!!!!!" with startling force, Koru hunched her shoulders forward and broke free of his grip. She ran instantly, pushing through the crowd who jumped away from her as though she was vermin. No one stopped her…no one wanted to touch what had already killed hundreds.  
  
But, within seconds, Treskor slammed into her from behind, knocking her to the ground. She struggled to clear the soil from her nostrils but it was no use; he grabbed her head with a giant clawed hand and slammed it down into the dirt, while seven others encircled her, each grabbing a limb and holding it securely.  
  
"Do not get too clossse." Treskor warned. "Come. Take her to the transssport vehiclesss."  
  
The person she found herself thrown against in the back of the giant, steel monster was her sister. Small timid hands sought her out in the darkness of their confinement and they embraced each other, holding onto one another when they had nothing else to do. Tears streamed down her sisters face and spilled onto Koru's chest. But only anger filled Koru. And shock.  
  
Beneath them, the vibration of the vehicle shook to life. It jumped, bumped around, and lunged forward down a dark, R'haksin road. Koru's mind raced. Betrayed. By her own mother…and her lover who she had trusted with her life. Numbness crept into her, and she was no longer able to comfort the trembling girl in her arms. Jona was only four years old. It wasn't fair…  
  
Their ride was a long one. Koru could tell, through the fleeting glimpses of the outside through the windows, that they were nearing the great excavation site that Koru had accompanied Treskor to. It made her sick; now, to think that he had been building her very prison and she had not known. No…instead, she had kissed him and congratulated him on his efforts. She wanted to throw up…  
  
"Koru…?" Jona whispered from under her chin. Koru looked down, slowly, as if not comprehending quite why she was here. "Where's mommy? Are we going on a trip?"  
  
"Yes…" Koru whispered back, to numb to say anything intelligent. "We're going away for a while, but Mommy can't come. It's sort of like a game, Jona. But you have to be brave to play." She stroked the little girl's face, wiping away the big, fat tears that caught in her fingers. "Can you be brave for me?"  
  
Jona nodded. "Uh huh." She said. " I can." She lifted her little chin.  
  
"Good girl." Koru said, pulling her tightly against her. "You're a very good girl."  
  
Behind them, there were seventeen more of the Storkrin transport vehicles, carrying exactly 2000 Storkrin females. The vehicles jolted and lunged sharply around as they drove over logs and anything else in their path. Rain, thick and suffocating, clouded the skies and pelted the tin roofs of the vehicles, sounding much like small pebbles. The sound snapped Koru out of her temporary shock and jump-started her quick mind into thinking of a plan.  
  
"Will I win?" Jona interrupted her thoughts. Koru looked down at her little sister, her eyes tearing. She actually thinks it's a game.  
  
"If you remember to be brave and wait for me." Koru said, her mind racing frantically.  
  
"Where will you be?"  
  
"I might…have to be gone for a while. But only a little while, all right? Mommy might find you before me. But one of us will find you. And soon…you just have to wait. And be brave. Can you do that?" she smiled for her. "You'll win, if you're extra brave."  
  
"'Kay." Jona said softly, nestling back into Koru's chest.  
  
Koru let the tears fall.  
  
* * *  
  
They had stopped.  
  
The doors to the vehicles were yanked open, roughly, and hundreds of strong hands were reaching for them within seconds. Claws tore at their cloaks and grabbed at ankles. Jona was easily pulled away, but Koru caught her with one hand as she fought off a barrage of others. With a violent force she tore her crying, nearly hysterical sister from the Storkrin's arms, crushing her protectively to her chest. She wrapped her tightly and hunched over, defending her with deadly intent.  
  
"Give it up!" An angry Storkrin hissed. Sharp claws tore across her back, and she cried out sharply. "Give the girl to usss."  
  
"NO!" Koru screamed defiantly. She bent over Jona, surrendering herself to the vicious attack that dealt blows to her unprotected head and back. She took them silently, biting her lip, letting her tears spill onto Jona's upturned face. "Koru!" she cried. "Koru, I don't like this game anymore!"  
  
And then, out of nowhere, Treskor appeared, brushing away the swarming Storkrins that tore at her. They backed away and she slowly raised her head, cautiously, staring him down. He ignored her and focused falsely friendly eyes on Jona. "Jona." He said quietly. "It isss all right, now." He slowly extended his arms. "Come here."  
  
Jona raised her head, saw Treskor, and made the instant connection. She smiled; happy to be rescued, and wiggled out of Koru's now relaxed arms with childish ease. "Treskor!" she crawled frantically to him. "Take me and Koru home, now, 'kay?"  
  
"Don't. You. Dare." Koru whispered with venom. Jona turned, not understanding her sister's cause for anger. "We can go back now, Koru!"  
  
"No, Jona." Koru shook her head. "Come back over here."  
  
"No." Jona said, snuggling into Treskors arms. He regarded her coldly. "Ssshe wissshesss to ssstay with me." He said, his lips turning up in a cruel sneer.  
  
"JONA!" Koru barked. Her sister flinched. "Treskor isn't my friend anymore. He's a bad man. He'll take you away from me, Jona." She held out her arms. "Please, Jona, come back here. Now."  
  
Jona looked imploringly up at Treskor; the very man she had played with and received gifts from on many an occasion, and didn't understand. "Treskor isn't bad. Are you?" she giggled. "Koru's silly."  
  
Tears ran down Koru's face. "Please…" she whispered. "Jona…?"  
  
The two stared at each other for a fleeting second before Treskor turned abruptly away. "Take her." He ordered, and the swarm returned. Koru fought savagely to get to Jona, who now was suddenly afraid, and wanted back into the comfort of her sister's arms. The swarm overcame Koru, and she was carried roughly from the vehicle, listening to her sister's screams as they were drowned out by the many hundreds of Storkrin males.  
  
Koru fought, and she fought hard, but there was going to be no getting to Jona, not with as many Storkrin's as there were surrounding her. Dozens of hands groped at her, hefting her weight over their heads. They formed a sort of walking net beneath her, and carried her, struggling, across the red earth to the great pit ahead of them.  
  
Her prison.  
  
Rain pelted her face in sharp, pebble-like drops. She was carried to the edge of a great marble entrance, where she was put abruptly onto the ground and roughly bound, gagged, and restrained. Beside her, Treskor stood, holding Jona, whispering things she could not hear in her ear. "You and your sssissster are evil, Jona. You mussst be punnissshed."  
  
Koru was yanked to her knees. She wanted so badly to be able to tear the filthy gag from her mouth and tell her sister it wasn't true. Jona's eyes had become gargantuan, teary saucers of fear as she watched her sister being held at gunpoint. A Storkrin laser was pressed violently into the small of her back. "Get going." A voice hissed in her ear. "We are following a tight ssschedule."  
  
With angry hands at her back, Koru was shoved blindly into the darkness in front of her. Her feet touched stone and she scrambled to keep her footing on the narrow stairs as the Storkrin's forced her down. Only now did she notice how most stood a fair distance from her, and how the one's touching her wore gloves over their clawed hands. She felt dirty, like she was some diseased creature. With a sinking feeling, she supposed she was.  
  
They reached the bottom of the stairs after a few moments and small, overhanging vine's slapped against Koru's unprotected face, startling her. The Storkrin males laughed with cruel humor, and then, with one final heave, threw into damp, smelling cell. She landed on her knees; her hands slipping in what she assumed to be moss. She turned just in time to see Treskor hand Jona to another Storkrin, who marched off immediately with her.  
  
"KORU!!" Jona wailed, her voice rising above the roar of Storkrin voices with a fierce determination. She held her little arms out and struggled uselessly against the one who held her. Then, before she could even get a word in, she was pulled into the shadows and was lost around the corner. She heard the clanging of a cell shutting, and the tiny hiccuping noises of her crying, terrified sister.  
  
Treskor marched with cold intent into the cell, his cocky and uncaring demeanor only furthering her rage. Kneeling beside her, he took her ankle roughly in his hand and clamped a giant, heavy vice around it. She noticed that it was chained to the ground a foot or so behind her. She was very restrained in her movement, and she noticed with dread how tight the iron clasp was around her thick ankle. She felt her eyes tearing up again, but looked away, refusing to give him any satisfaction out of this sick game.  
  
He rose, taking the gag out with one swift motion. He looked as though he was waiting for her to yell and scream and rage at him, but she remained silent for a good moment. Then she spoke.  
  
"I want my sister."  
  
Treskor shook his head. He stepped out of the cell and slammed a row of iron bars in place. A quick assessment by Koru confirmed the fact that she would not be able to break free of them. She narrowed her eyes and strengthened her voice, lifting her chin bravely.  
  
"I said, I want my sister."  
  
But he was already walking away. She felt useless in her protests; he would not listen. Sinking back into the darkness against the wall, she listened with great suffering to a sound that would remain burned into her memory for a very long time…  
  
Her sisters crying.  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
Koru finally lifted her face and looked back at Bulma's, her face drawn tight with shock and streaming with unrestrained tears. Bulma didn't know what to say. She didn't know what to do. She only knew that now, she hated every single Storkrin except Koru, Onyx and Strifelon that she had ever met.  
  
"I knew she was alive, because we called back and forth for days." Koru said softly, drawing in a shaking breath. "I calmed her down, and we talked about how we would escape. Then…then one day...she didn't answer me when I called her."  
  
Bulma looked away, covering her hand with her mouth. How could someone be this cruel? It made her sick, when she looked beside her at the cold face of Vegeta, to know that he had once been as ruthless and murderous. But the look on his face now was one of genuine sympathy. She had been waiting, the entire story, for Vegeta to interrupt with some cruel remark or cutting comment. But he hadn't. She reached out and impulsively took his hand.  
  
"Koru…I'm so sorry." She swallowed against the lump in her throat. "I've had enough of this. Vegeta and I will get you out."  
  
Koru took her hand and shook her head. "No, Bulma." She said quickly, obviously struggling with her words. "I…it's hard to explain." She looked at Vegeta. "It's something you would just make fun of."  
  
"I think you'd be surprised." Vegeta said quietly.  
  
"I…I just…" Koru looked down at her folded hands. "I want to be with Jona. Down here…I'd feel like I was betraying her, if I left. I know she's dead…but…I just know, somehow, that she rests easier knowing I haven't left her yet. I won't leave her." She said with a note of finality. "I swore I wouldn't." she looked up at the two of them. "And…for another, it would cause a number of unsolvable problems for you two. I wouldn't know how to act, what to say…" she trailed off. "I've almost…made this cell my home. I know it sounds sick, but it's true, in a way."  
  
Bulma nodded. "I understand, Koru. I…have an idea, however." 


	25. Chapter Twenty Five: Definition of Evil

Chapter Twenty-Five: Definition of Evil  
  
Authors Notes: Hey guys! Again, I'm sorry for the late update on the last chapter. I did have good reasons, though. My tattoo looks really cool! I'm so hyped about it. Anyway, back to the fic. This may end up being more than 60 chapters long… *winces* I don't know for sure, however. All these ideas just keep barraging me and I can't hold them back. Oh well! Enjoy!  
  
~J.J  
  
The cells were all the same.  
  
They blended in with one another until they became one giant black prison, their bars mingling in the darkness like skeletal arms raised upwards in plea. Koru had not known what cell Jona would have been put in, but Bulma had insisted that they would find her and give her a proper burial.  
  
It was strange, really. No one had actually said it, but in breaking into Jona's cell and burying her, Koru's freedom was ensured. She had not wanted to leave The Dungeons because she felt she would be betraying her sister in some way. Bulma had found it surprising that Vegeta had not made any of his usual cutting comments, but had instead actually expressed understanding, and had agreed to the request.  
  
Now, Vegeta stopped in front of a cell, his sharp eyesight picking out a form much smaller than the others. He felt stupid when he almost called out, knowing she was dead. Beside him Bulma, Spider and Ghost came to a halt. Ghost slipped through the bars and tentatively approached the unmoving form. There was a shuffling, a startled chirp, and then a collapsing of brittle bones. Years of untouched layers of dust exploded up in huge clouds and Vegeta and Bulma coughed, holding their hands over their mouths. The dust settled almost instantly.  
  
"This is her…I'm assuming." Vegeta said. "The skeleton is very small."  
  
Bulma nodded. "Are you sure you'll be able to break through these bars?" she asked, finally getting the question out of the way. She was afraid it might have insulted him.  
  
"Yes." He said after a pause. "Of course I can." He stepped up to them, and, grasping two of them in his gloved hands, he set his feet apart and ground his heels into the floor. Beads of sweat appeared on his brow as he growled low in his throat, struggling to force the thick bars of iron apart. Bulma watched the massive cords of muscle clenching and flexing beneath his skin before two of them pushed apart with just enough space for a small person to fit through. He let go, breathing slightly harder than normal and stepped back. "The Storkrin's knew what they were doing." He said. "Those are strong bars." He looked over at her. "You're the only one who will be able to fit through this space." He said.  
  
"Couldn't you pull them apart more?"  
  
"See how tightly spaced together these bars are? Look, don't make any more trouble for me. Just do it."  
  
"All right." She glared. "If it's too hard for you, I guess I'll just have to do it for you."  
  
"I'd take that back if I were you, woman."  
  
Bulma ignored him and, summoning courage, she slipped through the bars. The floor was thick with moss, dust, and overgrown vines. She approached the small skeleton, which now lay curled up in a pile in the corner. There were vines entwined around the arms and some that were growing through the eyesockets of the skull. Bulma supposed it was not that bad; the vines could have been snakes. Carefully, she kneeled down beside the skeleton and surveyed it from where she sat. She was absolutely astounded that she had not yet screamed or fainted, what with being beside a skeleton and all. She felt a swell of pride in her chest.  
  
"It's in pieces." She called over her shoulder, not taking her eyes off the skeleton. "I'll need to carry it out in…pieces." She swallowed and felt the first wave of unease wash over her gut. She tried to calm it.  
  
Pieces?  
  
"I told you this was a waste of time." Vegeta said. "Like Koru said, with her being released back into R'haksin, it will cause a whole world of problems." He paused meaningfully. "Maybe even a war."  
  
"Look, she doesn't need to be down here!" Bulma said with a deep frown. She reached forward and gently cradled the skeletons skull, taking it gingerly into her arms. It was so very tiny…  
  
"Lot's of things don't need to happen." Vegeta said. "The point is, they do."  
  
"Look, could you just shut up and help me?" the skeleton was easily small enough to carry between the two of them. She scooped up the arms and legs and stood. She walked over to Vegeta and gently passed them to his waiting arms. "I feel like we're…defiling her…or something." She said miserably. "Are we doing the right thing?"  
  
As usual, Vegeta gave her no answer. He shrugged and waited for her to collect the rest of the tiny bones. When she did, she turned sideways and slipped through the bars, handing them to him.  
  
"Look…Vegeta…" Bulma brushed her hands on her pants and stared sadly at the little skeleton, "I want to talk to Koru for a second before we go. You know, to calm her down…or…set her mind at peace. She said she didn't want to be there when we buried her…so…would you mind doing it yourself? I'll wait for you down here."  
  
Scowling, he shrugged. His mind was in other places, such as the promise he had made to Bulma. Looking down at the skeleton, his desensitized Sayajin mind only allowed him to think blandly of the burial. He would say what Koru had asked, because he had honor as well, and then the job would be done. He could forget about dead sisters, and start worrying about what would happen once he freed Koru. He was angry with himself because even though it was an insane, dangerous idea, he knew deep down that it was the right thing to do, and so he was going to do it. They could get hurt…get a war on R'haksin started. They could possibly wipe out all the women left. There weren't many. He looked at Bulma's expression and nodded his assurance.  
  
"Go. Talk to her then." He said gruffly.  
  
"Are you sure?" Bulma asked him. He nodded and turned down the corridor, carefully cradling the small skeleton to his chest. Spider walked beside him at an easy trot, leaving Bulma in the hall beside the cell, Ghost at her feet.  
  
"Well," she looked down at the little Cheribulum and sighed, "I guess we go talk to Koru now."  
  
* * *  
  
Arden yawned loudly, his mouth opening wide to accommodate a mouthful of massive fangs. Exhaling with pleasure, he shifted around atop his post in the concealment of the tree he sat in and resumed enjoying the heat.  
  
Arden was the largest Storkrin on R'haksin. The Storkrin doctors had confirmed that something had gone very wrong with his genes to produce such a monstrosity. He was larger than even Treskor, but did not hold the standing Treskor did. Arden respected Treskor as a Leader, and in turn Treskor respected him as a great Storkrin warrior and guard. He had been fighting and defending R'haksin for many years alongside his lifelong friend Tajil, who sat perched in the tree next to him. Both the Storkrins had been guards for 20 years. Now, they were keeping watch over the entrance to The Dungeons, as Psoria, another Guard, had mentioned suspicious activity concerning the area. Arden and Tajil had offered to keep watch.  
  
Now, Arden noticed a rustling noise to the sides of the entrance. He leaned over the edge of the tree and peered curiously downwards. The trees were too high up for any intruder to notice them, but Arden's eyesight was good enough to count the hairs on their face from where he sat.  
  
"Hey…Tajil." Arden called quietly over his shoulder. The rustling ceased as the intruder seemed to know they were being watched. Arden quieted himself, leaning every so gently back into the concealment of the leaves. He watched the entrance with keen eyes and a minute or so passed. Then, the intruder swept practically wraith-like through the bushes and onto the path, a movement so swift Arden had hardly a moment to catch any detail. He caught enough to recognize it was the Prince of Vegetasei. He remembered seeing the human female accompanying him at the festival. He frowned.  
  
"Tajil." He said softly. "What do you sssuppossse the Prince wasss doing?"  
  
Tajil shrugged back, the massive cords of muscle flexing in his arms as he did so. Tajil had a hard, cold face due to his rather tough nature. Tajil was the posterchild of Storkrins; he had every quality that an average Storkrin was supposed to have. He was ruthless, excessively violent, and had little respect for women. In many ways he was as Vegeta was, except for the fact that the Prince could rip him to shreds within seconds. Tajil had learned this from experience; he had a rather nasty scar slicing across his lower abdomen that was, unfortunately for him, the Prince's doing from many years ago. This was why he had little to no interest in deciding whether or not Vegeta's actions were suspicious or not. A tangle with the feisty Sayajin, no matter how much smaller, was not on his 'to-do' list for today.  
  
Arden was different from Tajil in many ways. Arden was respectful; he had honor, and was one of the very few Storkrin males who had not agreed with Treskor's ideas of The Dungeons. But somehow, the two remained friends. Arden now ignored Tajil's obvious disgust and decided for the both of them that Vegeta's actions were worth investigating.  
  
"He ssseemed to be holding sssomething…" Arden said. Pulling his cloak tightly around him, he left his post and began the quick, headfirst descent down the tree in the strange, animal-like way that Storkrin's climbed and descended trees. He landed at the bottom quickly, and, surveying the ground, stood back to call an order to Tajil. He found himself instead looking him straight on.  
  
"Ssstay here." Tajil said coolly. "I will invessstigate. Ssshall you ssscout?"  
  
Arden was surprised. He had not expected his friend to so readily go forth into The Dungeons. No Storkrin had been in their depths for three years. He shrugged and, trying to ignore the nagging feeling that something was wrong clasped his friend on the shoulder. "I ssshall." He paused. "Are you sssure?"  
  
Tajil nodded. There was something strange about his demeanor all of a sudden. Tajil was not the type to want to do something like this. Arden briefly reconsidered, but in the end decided to let his fellow warrior be. Tajil turned and vanished into the inky blackness. Arden sighed and leaned vigil against the stone entrance.  
  
* * *  
  
Bulma froze as she heard the footsteps. She looked briefly at Koru and then back at the stairs. "Vegeta?" she called. There was no answer. Within her arms, Ghost growled nervously, a sound she had never heard him make. Her heart skipped a beat.  
  
She looked at Koru. Her face was ashen, if it could have been any less red, and her eyes had gone wide. Her nostrils inhaled heavily the scent that was approaching them, and she turned to Bulma with a frightened look.  
  
"Run!" she hissed. She crawled back nosily into the darkness of her cell. Bulma clutched Ghost to her chest and stood, paling. Her heart hammered wildly in her chest. What was happening? Something was wrong.  
  
Ducking, she ran as quickly as she could around the corner and searched for an open cell. Behind her, the footsteps stopped as they neared the last step. Whoever or whatever it was, they would be standing directly in front of Koru right now. Bulma raced toward Jona's cell. As quietly as she could, she ran into it, and lay down where the little girl's skeleton had been. With her breath in her throat and her heart pounding against her chest, she covered her head with one hand and held Ghost with the other. Then, she waited.  
  
Meanwhile, Tajil had discovered Koru.  
  
"You live." He said cruelly, his blunt muzzle transforming into a hideous grin of malicious glee. Koru crawled further back into her cell, glaring daggers at him.  
  
"I live, but touch me, and you shall not." She said as firmly as she could.  
  
"You make no difference to me." Tajil replied casually, his face still grinning. "I want to know where the human isss."  
  
"There is no human down here." Koru said, trying to keep her voice from shaking. "You are being stupid."  
  
Tajil remained silent and unmoving for the shortest of seconds before he suddenly lunged at Koru's cell, slamming his full weight against the bars. It was enough to make them rattle. Koru whimpered and turned her head, expecting, for some reason, a blow. When she opened her eyes Tajil was laughing sadistically. It had been an intimidation move.  
  
"Do not make me kill you, Koru." Tajil said calmly. "Where isss the human?"  
  
Koru said nothing.  
  
Tajil reared back and slammed the bars with his fists, glowering at her. He seemed to recover and smiled over his rage. "It makesss no differnece." He said. "I will find your little friend, there isss no point in trying to hide her from me."  
  
"What do you want with her?" Koru cried. Inside, she could feel her anger boiling.  
  
Tajil merely smiled and turned down the hall, his cold red eyes searching the corners for any suspicious form. "There are many of you that ssstill live." He remarked.  
  
"Don't touch them." Koru said. "They have done nothing."  
  
"I have no time to waste for them." he looked over his shoulder at her as he began walking down the hall. "I will find your little friend. You ssshall hear me when I do."  
  
* * *  
  
Vegeta stepped back from the small mound of red earth and nodded to himself. He had done a reasonable job. He thought it odd to feel a brief sensation of happiness. She would rest well here.  
  
He had positioned the grave directly under a tree, as Koru had instructed him to. He seemed to remember Koru saying that Jona had loved the huge R'haksin trees. He brushed his hands on his pants and sighed. It was time to get back to Bulma. He turned to call for Spider, and was surprised to find that he was not there. He frowned. It was quite a ways back. Why would he have left? He shrugged, and turned to begin the walk back.  
  
He supposed he would find out.  
  
* * *  
  
Spider, meanwhile, had experienced the sudden and brief sensation that all devoted animal's experience in their lifetime of their master being in grave danger, and had reacted with quick instinct.  
  
He was running quickly now, his tongue hanging out of his mouth as he panted, trying quickly to reach the graying area that he had seen her descend into. He had paused only to suffer through a painful but quick transformation. Spider, as all young Roctorns did, had submitted to the strange gene in his blood that forced his body to change and strengthen when critical danger was near. It was not been drastic. His bulk had widened and become considerably more muscled, and his senses had been raised sharply. There is no way to describe this. It is simply a phenomenon.  
  
He kept on running.  
  
* * *  
  
Bulma held her breath as she heard the scraping of feet upon the concrete. She prayed, with all of her might, that Ghost would remain silent. The footsteps paused in front of her cell, then stopped with obvious intent. She squeezed her eyes shut and struggled against the burning sensation in her lungs. She needed to breathe.  
  
Tajil stared down at the quivering form that lay on the cold cement of Jona's cell floor, the very same cell that he had brought the small girl into. He remembered how Arden had refused to be a part of the official opening of The Dungeons. He smiled at this. So fragile, he was. Now he kneeled down and watched the human as she struggled to try and appear oblivious. What strange creatures the Humans were. Didn't she realize how obvious she was being?  
  
"Breathe." He said. It was one word, cold and cruel.  
  
Realizing she was helpless, Bulma released her breath in a painful 'whoosh' of air. She scrambled into a sitting position and faced the giant creature. It was a male Storkrin, as she had suspected it to be. Mustering courage, she glared at him.  
  
"Did you hurt Koru?" she cried. Thankfully, she watched Ghost as he scampered away, obviously sensing the danger he was in. He vanished into a hole tiny enough for him. She was glad that he had escaped. Now, what of her?  
  
Tajil shook his head, enjoying the human's fear. "And what if I had?"  
  
"If you touch me, Vegeta will beat the living shit out of you." She said slowly.  
  
Tajil cocked his head, suddenly reminding Bulma of a big, ugly bird. "Vegeta?" he hissed. "Arden will not allow his passage."  
  
"Arden?" Bulma frowned, trying not to show her fear. There were more?  
  
Tajil suddenly stood and walked toward her. "The Prince will not be interfering." He said calmly.  
  
"What are you planning to do to me?" she whispered.  
  
"You are not welcome here. No one is." Tajil explained.  
  
"That's no reason to kill me." Bulma's instincts were beginning to kick in. What good would it do if she just sat back and let him beat the crap out of her? Vegeta would get here soon…wouldn't he?  
  
Then, suddenly, she had an idea. She remembered Vegeta saying that the bars were nearly impossible to get through. If she closed them now, she may very well hold him off until Vegeta came back. He couldn't have gone far, could he? She looked at the bars. All she had to do was slid them into place…and…  
  
Tajil followed her gaze to the bars. He realized what she was doing. Lifting a finger, he waggled it back and forth. "Ah ah ah…female…" he hissed. "Do not be ssstupid." He reached out with deadly speed and grabbed the bars, holding them firmly. "Now…" he motioned her toward him. "Come here."  
  
* * *  
  
Outside, Arden stared ahead at the red and black blur that was speeding toward him at breakneck speed. It was moving so fast he could hardly tell what it was. He confirmed that whatever it was, it was very big, appeared to be in a great hurry, and had lot's of tails. The closer it got, the more features he picked out. Then it clicked. It was a Roctorn. He frowned. But what was one so young doing out here?  
  
Spider's giant paws thudded across the ground, tearing up dirt as he hurdled toward the opening of the entrance. Something stood in his way. He skidded to a halt and glared the unwanted person down, panting hard. Arden regarded him carefully.  
  
"What do you want, boy?" he asked in a calm voice. Spider lowered his head and growled. "Now, no reassson to be violent." Arden said, backing up bit. Whatever had angered this animal, it was definitely going to get a good thrashing. He saw no reason to let it go down into The Dungeons, and also saw no reason why he should get a number of nasty scars for no reason at all. It wouldn't look good on his record. Stepping aside, he gestured to the opening.  
  
"Go on, then."  
  
Spider obliged.  
  
* * *  
  
Bulma cried out in pain as she was slammed against the wall, one meaty clawed hand holding her in place. Tajil leaned his face into her own and grinned gleefully, looking quite the sadist.  
  
"We do not appreciate your kind, or any kind, down here." He said. Bulma fought to stay conscious. Her head throbbed, and pain shot through her back and lower limbs. Her legs wavered and buckled, but the hand held her up around her neck. Bruises covered her arms and stomach where Tajil had hit her when she had spit in his face. She supposed it hadn't been a good idea, but she never was one for putting up with male bullshit.  
  
She spit out blood and stared at him through a rapidly swelling eye. The other was already shut.  
  
"Leave me…alone…"  
  
Tajil chuckled. "Why ssshould I?" he hissed.  
  
"I'm…infected…" she rasped. "With Fortricres."  
  
Tajil visibly pulled back, the fear of Fortricres that existed in all Storkrin's making him uneasy. "You are bluffing." He hissed, warily. "Do not lie to me."  
  
"I'm not…lying…" Bulma trailed off when she heard the growling. It was low, and guttural, and full of a very, very intense rage. And it was directly behind her attacker. She smiled weakly.  
  
It was Spider.  
  
Tajil whirled around. Spider's now much larger body tensed the muscles in his calves quivering as he anticipated the Storkrin's next move. His head lowered to the ground and he stared up at Tajil with orange slits of hate. His tails puffed out behind him, and his lips quivered as he snarled.  
  
Tajil had seconds to react as Spider lunged for him, his jaws snapping and going directly for the Storkrin's throat. An arm lashed out and caught the Roctorn with a glancing blow, but Spider recovered quickly and was back on his feet, this time closing his great jaws around Tajil's ankle. He set his jaw firmly and did not let go, even when the much larger opponent began to kick him viciously with his free leg. Spider loosened his grip for a second and then moved up, clamping down harder. This time he thrashed his head from side to side as he quite literally dug his fangs deep into the bone. Tajil cried out but did not cease his kicking. Spider winced again and again as the foot slammed into his unprotected side.  
  
Bulma reacted. She jumped forward and punched Tajil as hard as she could in the side of his face. There was a sharp cracking noise, and she knew she had broken her hand. She had bough enough time for Spider, however, who took advantage of Tajil's surprise and directed his fangs at a much more vulnerable target.  
  
His crotch.  
  
This time Tajil screamed with enough force to hurt Bulma's ears. Spider hung on and tore his head from side to side, blood dribbling down his chin and matting in his fur. Tajil managed to compose himself, and swung down with a great fist, driving his extended claws deep into Spider's back. The Roctorn cried out around his mouthful and his legs buckled beneath him. He refused to let go, and Tajil drew back once more, driving his claws, this time, into Spiders side. This time Spider let go and slumped silently to the ground. He whimpered piteously at Bulma, who stared horrified into his already fading eyes, and covered her mouth with her hands. Tajil whirled, and struck out against her face.  
  
She knew only darkness.  
  
* * *  
  
Vegeta glared suspiciously at Arden as the two neared each other. Both nodded their heads in greeting.  
  
"What's going on?" Vegeta scowled. Already, his head was alive with thoughts of Bulma being in danger. He advanced quickly toward the entrance but Arden held him back with one arm. He shook his head, even under the wilting glare of the Prince.  
  
"I wasss told to keep an eye on The Dungeonsss. Tressskor has reported sssuspicious activity." He said. "Pleassse, do not make trouble for usss."  
  
"Us?" Vegeta repeated. "Who's down there?"  
  
"My friend, Tajil." Arden said. "Would you have anything to do with thisss activity?"  
  
Vegeta pushed him back with ease. "Look, just shut the hell up and come with me. I'll explain in a second." He scowled deeply at the guard. "Look, you really don't want to fuck with me right now."  
  
Arden shrugged and the two started down the steps.  
  
* * *  
  
Clutching his wounded manhood, Tajil stumbled alongside the hallway walls, bleeding profusely, and rapidly loosing large amounts of blood. Through his haze of anger and pain, he could make out two forms approaching him. The first was Arden, he assumed, and the second was much smaller, but appeared to be much angrier. It slammed into him with startling force and threw him against a wall. He could not defend himself as two hands wrapped around his neck and squeezed.  
  
"Tajil, what hasss happened?" Arden cried as he ran up beside the two. He made no move to remove Vegeta's hands.  
  
"WHERE IS SHE!?" Vegeta roared. "If you hurt her, I swear…"  
  
Tajil collapsed. Weakly, he pointed over his shoulder. Vegeta was off in a second. Arden knelt beside him.  
  
"Tajil!" he shook him gently. "What…" he looked down at his friends wounds and winced. "Wasss it…" he remembered the Roctorn. He glared and stood. He would kill the creature for doing this to his friend.  
  
"Don't worry, Tajil." Arden said firmly. "I will kill him for you." He started off without another word. He rounded the corner and nearly bumped into the Prince, who was cradling a small. Bloody form to his chest. Arden stared. The Roctorn lay at the Prince's feet, also very badly wounded, and breathing with very shallow breaths. Suddenly, he realized.  
  
"Prince…" he trailed off. The form the Prince was holding was the human. He looked down at the Roctorn, then back at the human. He thought of Tajil.  
  
"He did not do this." Vegeta managed through clenched teeth. "He is a friend." He nodded to Spider. Against him, Bulma moaned, her head slumping to one side. Vegeta's eyes wavered.  
  
"Let me by." He said with trembling anger. "I'm going to kill him."  
  
Arden stared sadly. "Prince…pleassse…"  
  
"Take her to Strifelon." Vegeta said. "And then come back for the Roctorn. Do as I say, or you will die."  
  
Arden nodded. He understood.  
  
Vegeta stalked out of the room and approached the bleeding form of Tajil, who was slumped over, his leg and crotch mangled beyond recognition. Vegeta grabbed him roughly by the chin and yanked his face upwards. Tajil's eyes opened uncertainly, and he blinked, confused, at the Prince's face that was contorted with rage.  
  
"Smile while I do this." Vegeta said through clenched teeth.  
  
He drew back his fist. 


	26. Chapter Twenty Six: Step forward, Arden

Chapter Twenty Six: Step forward, Arden  
  
Authors notes: I'm really happy with how the last chapter came out. I was really trying to make Tajil a bastard…and from what I've heard it worked ^_^ I'm glad you all liked Vegeta's last line. I thought it was pretty sweet. I hope you guys liked it, and I hope you like this one too. Sorry about this late chapter; life is getting busy.  
  
  
  
Vegeta's breath heaved in and out of his chest as he finally emerged from the entrance to The Dungeons. In his arms, he held Bulma, who was still breathing but mildly so. His gloved hands that clutched her to him were soaked with the dark green blood of Tajil, who he had thoroughly slaughtered to his hearts desire. Vegeta's eyes were wide and unfocused. He had let the Sayajin lust for blood overcome him, and in the end, had brutally disemboweled the Storkrin and spread his innards throughout every inch of the halls.  
  
Now, as he stood in front of the dark entrance, panting, he lifted off into the air and headed for Stifelons. Bulma's wounds were not serious enough to be life threatening, but with Fortricres in her system, Vegeta did not know what could happen. And no one but Strifelon would know. He held her to him and flew straight for the dark mound to the west that signaled the Storkrins underground cavern.  
  
* * *  
  
Stifelon glared angrily as he threw back the latch above his head and stared up at the unwanted visitor.  
  
"Arden!" Strifelon hissed, straightening. "What are you…" he trailed off when he saw the limp and rather bloody Roctorn in the guards massive arms.  
  
"Pleassse." Arden looked pleadingly at the older, wiser Storkrin. "The Prince...he…asssked me to take him to you…"  
  
Strifelon nodded and quickly waved the guard and his precious bundle in. "Of courssse, of courssse…" he mumbled as he let the big man pass him, closing the latch tightly behind him. "What hasss happened?" he asked when he turned back to him.  
  
"It…" Arden began, but was caught off as a rough banging signaled yet another visitor. Strifelon growled impatiently and threw back the latch again. Vegeta stood, covered in blood and…entrails…holding a limp and unconscious Bulma. Stifelon's eyes grew wide.  
  
"Get in!" he grabbed Vegeta's arm and hauled the Sayajin down after him, slamming the latch shut. "ONYX!" he bellowed loudly down the stairs. He waved Vegeta and Arden after him. As Vegeta passed the guard, his eyes drifted over the whimpering form of Spider, and he felt an undeniable tug at his heart. He knew Bulma would not die from this. Spider very well might…  
  
Onyx appeared at the bottom of the stairs just as the three landed. "Father?" he looked past Strifelon and at the bloodied, battered forms behind him. He paled, and stepped hurriedly into the next room without another word. He appeared seconds later with an armload of potions.  
  
Vegeta stumbled over to the kitchen table and, without waiting for the O.K, gently lay Bulma down on it. He turned back to Stifelon, who immediately assessed her wounds. The Storkrin looked up. "Tell me what hasss happened, Prince."  
  
Vegeta shook his head. "Heal her." He commanded, in the tone of voice he had not used for years. "That is a direct order, old man. Heal her now, and do nothing else until she is well."  
  
It did not take much for the others in the room to understand what Vegeta meant. Bulma was top priority, and was to be held at a level of importance much higher than anything else until she was awake and well. Strifelon nodded and took one of the potions from his sons waiting arms. He popped the top and spread a dark blue liquid over a cloth. He then bent to the gaping cut above her collarbone, a deep slash due to a swipe of Tajil's claws, and applied it gently. Bulma moaned and whimpered, but her eyes did not open.  
  
While Stifelon evenly applied the salve, Vegeta turned to watch Onyx as he fussed over Spider. The Roctorn's belly lay open and exposed by a deep, sideways cut that ran from his shoulders across his midsection. The other wound was worse; it drove deep within his spine, and Vegeta knew without asking Onyx that it may have hit a vertebrae and paralyzed him.  
  
The Prince knelt by Spider and lay a hand over his head, gently stroking his matted fur and staring reassuringly into his huge, watery orange eyes. Spider's tails lay limp over the edge of the table where Arden had lain him, but he managed a weak, half-hearted wag when Vegeta smiled at him. He was not surprised to find that this was nearly breaking his heart; he could find more compassion for animals than he could for humans.  
  
He rose and turned away from the sight, and looked back to Bulma. She was bruised and battered, but she would be fine. Tajil did no real damage.  
  
"How is she doing?" Vegeta asked. His head was spinning. He had not experienced unbridled savagery such as the sort he had experienced with Tajil for many years. His pulse still pounded.  
  
"Ssshe will be fine." Strifelon said with a sigh. He bent over her for a moment while he stuck some sort of black appendage over the cuts above her eyes. He looked back up and shook a finger at the Prince. "You had better tell me what hasss happened." Stifelon looked over to Arden, who shrank back at the glare. Stifelon did not appreciate Storkrin guards, nor did he appreciate their company in his own home.  
  
"And why would you be here?" he asked as he smoothed the hair across Bulma's sweating brow.  
  
Arden folded his arms and looked not unlike Vegeta. "I…there hasss been…"  
  
Vegeta interrupted him. "Strifelon…Bulma will be all right, will she not?"  
  
"Yesss. Ssshe needsss sssleep. Time to heal." Stifelon said. "Ssshe hasss sssuffered sssome nasssty bruisssesss and cutsss, nothing more."  
  
Bulma's eyelids fluttered once at the mention of her name. With a moan, she came awake, and looked up blinking unsteadily into Stifelon's face. Stifelon smiled, but the moment was ruined by Vegeta, who shoved him aside like a piece of paper and took her hand.  
  
"Woman…you…" he tried his best to frown, but broke out in a relieved smile instead. He squeezed her hand gently. "You're awake." He finnished.  
  
Bulma smiled weakly. "My…face…hurts…" she said. "I can taste…blood…"  
  
"You've got a couple of wounds." He replied. "Nothing serious."  
  
Large blue eyes stared through him as she began to remember the events nearly an hour past. She suddenly looked worried. "Vegeta!" she whispered. "Spider…where…"  
  
Vegeta pointed to his left, where Spider was lying quietly under Onyx's ministrations. She felt her eyes tearing up. "He…won't die…will he?"  
  
Vegeta shook his head. "We can't be sure. Tajil…" his blood boiled as he remembered the mans grinning face. "Tajil hurt him fairly badly."  
  
"Don't let him die…"  
  
"Woman, I can't do anything about it if he does."  
  
"He's a hero…" she paused. "He…saved me."  
  
Vegeta rose from her side and looked over at Arden, who, despite his obviously intimidating appearance, was trying to mould in with his backgrounds and avoid any confrontation. Vegeta waved him over.  
  
"Look. I don't know about you, but we can't very well let something like this go on." Vegeta surprised them all with his words. Bulma looked at him, shock written all over her face. Strifelon paused in his work.  
  
"What do you propossse?" Arden asked him.  
  
"I propose that we take this to Treskor." Vegeta said, "And that we try and get Koru out of there."  
  
Arden immediately shook his head. "He won't allow it." He assured the Prince. "Hisss feelingsss for Koru are not mine. He will not allow her presssence on R'haksssin again."  
  
Bulma's hand managed to catch Vegeta's. "Vegeta." She said. "Please…? Take Koru out of there…?"  
  
Arden and Vegeta exchanged a look. Vegeta looked back at Bulma and tried to smile. "Look…I'll try my best." He said. "I make no promises. In the meantime, get better." He said gruffly. Bulma caught the intent and they both shared a look that no one else in the room would have understood.  
  
Then, Arden and Vegeta were gone.  
  
* * *  
  
Treskor's face was ripe with madness.  
  
"No!" he glared at the two of them as they stood before the 16 elders. The room was silent as they waited for more words. The air was cool and the wind whistled lightly through small cracks caused by the recent storm. Vegeta looked down at his hands at his sides and realized that he had not yet disposed of his soiled clothing. The blood of a very respected Storkrin was thick on his hands. He made no move to hide them, however, even when the prying red eyes looked at him with full suspicion.  
  
"Look," Vegeta said. "I killed Tajil." He said bluntly. "I killed him, as I have killed many of you before. Perhaps my doing so in the past was wrong, but today was a good reason." He stepped forward. "Tajil wronged Bulma, and another good friend of mine." He seemed to struggle with the words.  
  
An elderly Storkrin rose from his seat. "Do you mean the Roctorn?" He hissed. "It probably attacked Tajil. He wasss most asssuredly defending himssself!"  
  
Voices rose in a roar of agreement. This time Arden was the one to step forward. His friendly eyes gazed over the Storkrins. "No," he shook his head, shocking them all, "Tajil wasss wrong. The Roctorn attacked him to sssave the life of the earthling female, who he had attacked." Arden said.  
  
The voices now faded to a dull murmur. They knew Arden spoke the truth; they knew he had been Tajil's most trusted friend for many, many years. The Storkrin sat down shaking his head with disbelief. Treskor stepped up to them anger twisted in his features.  
  
"Prince, you come to usss bearing many cassualitiesss." He growled.  
  
Arden shook his head. "Tressskor, it isss with truth and regret that I ssspeak thisss of Tajil." He paused. "He wasss my friend. But he wasss wrong…and…perhapsss dessserved what became of him. Yet the Prince ssspeaks the truth."  
  
Vegeta appreciated the man's words, but time was running short. "We must dispose of the body, and I intend to release Koru and the remaining women from The Dungeons." He turned to the council. "Are you not in agreement? Strifelon suspects that the Psytrim will grow more plentiful in the coming years. Your women do not have to be treated with such barbaric means, as mine were." He said to them. "They can be put to rest with more peaceful means in the future. You are diminishing your own race by doing this. It is foolish."  
  
Murmurs rose, some with hesitant agreement, but most with years of dealing with the mannerisms of their people. They could not so readily turn their backs on what had become such a solid law. The Storkrins were shaking their heads, and Vegeta could see that he would lose this battle.  
  
Verbally, anyway.  
  
He shook his head with disgust. "If you will not listen to me, then I will take it upon myself to destroy The Dungeons." Turning from them, he began to walk toward the double marble doors, waiting for what would most definitely hit him. It did not come until he placed a filthy hand upon the doors and pushed outwards.  
  
Treskor whirled him around by the shoulder; his face contorted with the madness of old memories. "Prince!" he hissed, his voice teetering on the brink. "I will not allow thisss."  
  
Vegeta eyed him evenly. "Will you stop me, Treskor?" he asked calmly. "If you believe you can, then," he spread his arms, "prove yourself to your waiting people."  
  
Arden swallowed hard. Inside, he was waiting for blood and battle. Inside, his heart was quarreling with the feelings he still had for Tajil, and those of the Prince that were forming. He found that within these last few hours, he had lost what little respect he had ever held for Tajil, and now was forming plentitudes for this fellow warrior who was now challenging his very leader. Respect was what held him back. Awe was what stopped him. Fear what was paralyzed him. He was ashamed to admit to himself that here and now, he was experiencing excitement. Something came alive inside him for the first time in years.  
  
Vegeta waited for a reply, then growled with anger and pushed the Storkrin back with ease. "Don't make this any harder for yourself." He spat. "I'm doing you a favor."  
  
Treskor whirled on him, throwing his bulk against the doors. "Ssstop thisss!" he cried.  
  
Vegeta crossed his arms and smirked without humor. "This is quite a predicament you've gotten yourself into, Treskor. Here you are, so noble and full of good intentions, so ready to stop me and defend a long-standing tradition. Yet, you know you cannot defeat me." He looked up at the huge alien and shook his head. "What will you do?"  
  
Arden's battle trained eyes saw it coming. The glint of Storkrin weaponry that was pulled swiftly from the concealment of dark robes. Treskor meant to kill this man who opposed him in the only way he could.  
  
By cheating.  
  
But the Sayajin proved to be faster. The glint of metal swung down directly at Vegeta's face at the same time that a thick muscular arm reached up and grabbed the hilt of the weapon. It was a sword. Vegeta had dealt with swords before, and he could easily do so again. With a twist of his arm he wrenched the hilt from the man's fingers and plunged the blade deep into Treskor's gut, twisted it once, then yanked it free at a different angle. Treskor's eyes bulged in their sockets, and he stumbled backward, his fingers twitching as they shook around the perimeter of the gaping wound. Vegeta's hand relaxed and the sword clattered to the floor. Arden saw the rage burning in his eyes.  
  
The 15 other elders that sat around the table stared, wide eyed. None so much as spoke as Treskor crashed backward into a chair, tripped, and fell on his back. Vegeta had struck gold with his marksmanship; the blade had pierced Treskor's liver and major intestine. He was bleeding internally.  
  
It would be only a matter of moments before Treskor would die. His chest heaved with his last breaths as he stared directly at Vegeta. Vegeta was not fazed by the stare; he had always made a point to look directly into his victim's eyes as they died.  
  
Vegeta turned to the council. "I have killed your leader." He announced. "Arden will take his place."  
  
Arden balked. "Prince…" he stuttered, turning to look at the council. It was such an odd thing; none of the watching Storkrin's seemed ready to oppose him. He looked back at Vegeta.  
  
"I…sssomething like thisss…" he tried to figure out what to say.  
  
A Storkrin rose from his seat at the table. He folded his arms and nodded to himself. "Prince, what you have done will not go unnoticed ssso easssily. You have killed our Leader, our king…" he paused." Yet while you have broken the law and thrussst our planet into what may turn out to be a war, I underssstand your caussse."  
  
The other Storkrins gasped in disbelief. Another rose, his face angry. "You cannot be ssseriousss!" he hissed. The other Storkrin turned to him. "I am."  
  
The Storkrin turned his gaze to Arden. "Arden, you are a trusssted guard among usss." Arden nodded in response. "It appearsss that to challenge the Prince would be insssane." He eyed him squarely. "Would you ssstep up where Tressskor ssstood, now, and accept all that he hasss controlled in the passst?"  
  
Arden looked helpless. "I…I am not in a posssition to anssswer that. I know, however, that the Prince's judgmentsss of character are true. I sssaw what Tajil hasss done," he gestured to the fallen Treskor, "and now you have ssseeen what our leader would have done."  
  
The Storkrins were beginning to nod their agreement. "We need a Leader." The Storkrin said. "Would it prove ussselesss to fight over sssuch an isssue? Arden, you may very well ssspare usss that."  
  
Accepting himself and their words, Arden nodded. When he turned to see what the Prince had to say, Vegeta was already gone. He looked fleetingly at the fallen Treskor and pursed his lips.  
  
"Firssst order of busssinesss." He announced. "Clean this sssshit up."  
  
* * *  
  
Apart from her throbbing headache and her tender bruises, Bulma was pleased to discover that the bastard Tajil had not, in fact, hurt her enough to threaten her life.  
  
She was sitting propped up against a number of pillows, staring across the room at Spider, whose belly was rising with slower, more labored breaths. Tears fell freely down her face. Beside her, Stifelon periodically reached up and wiped them away as they fell.  
  
"He was only trying to save me…" She whispered.  
  
Stifelon nodded. Onyx had retired from his work; there was nothing more to do for Spider. His fate was in Kami's hands, now. Onyx stood beside him and gently stroked the areas of unbandaged fur, running his fingers in-between the grooves of rock that covered his skin. Panting, Spider gave them all a sideways smile, his tongue lolling out of him mouth.  
  
Bulma turned away, unable to watch any longer.  
  
* * *  
  
Koru was terrified to smell the Sayajin coming down the stairs. Having had to watch what he had done to Tajil, she wasn't sure if she was in the mood to deal with a temper like that. The footsteps stopped and she found herself facing him.  
  
"Koru." He nodded in greeting. The other guard, Arden, stood behind him. "How would you like to come outside?"  
  
Koru blinked dumbly. "Pardon?"  
  
Vegeta slipped off his gloves, as they were too slippery with innards to be holding iron bars, and stepped toward her cell. "I said, how would you like to go outside? We're taking you out of here, for good. You don't have anything to worry about. Treskor is dead."  
  
She gasped. "Dead? But how…?"  
  
Vegeta put his hands on the bars and looked between them at her. "I killed him. That's how." He set his feet apart. "Now shut up." Grunting, he began to pull the iron apart. Koru watched in unbridled fascination as the two tanned, powerful hands slowly opened a hole large enough for himself to fit through, but too small for her. He released the bars and stepped through the opening sideways. Approaching her, he bent to where she sat and gently took her chain-bound ankle in his hand. Ebony eyes rose to meet hers.  
  
"Now, I'm going to ask you one more time. Do you want to come outside?" 


	27. Chapter Twenty Seven: Daylight

1 Chapter Twenty Seven: Daylight  
  
Authors Notes: Hi guys! I know a lot of you were a little miffed about this late update, but my life has become really busy. My parents are in Mexico and I'm trying to hold the fort down while struggling with horrible Art projects and English exams. If that sounds like an excuse, sorry, but that's my reason. Anyway, I know you're all wondering what the hell is going to happen with Spider. And no, I know a lot of you think I've forgotten about Vegeta and his 'promise' but I haven't. ^_^ Enjoy this chapter!  
  
Koru stared around The Dungeons that she had lived in for years, and tears welled in her eyes. Could she truly return to her Planet? Was she a lost cause? It felt so strange to be beyond the bars that she had stared through for so long, but now…so many things were different. Treskor was dead, and now there was a new and kind man to rule in his place. The Council seemed to have changed their minds about the ways things would work around R'haksin now. And most importantly, her beloved sister lay at peace. Koru looked down at the Prince who was responsible, and suddenly felt as though she wanted to hug him.  
  
"What's wrong?" Vegeta asked, his forehead creased with frown lines. "Aren't you excited?"  
  
Koru shrugged, smiling through tears. "I'm more afraid than anything…" she whispered. "What if no one accepts me?" she limped around testing her ankle that had been chained in iron for so very long. It was hard to put all of her weight on it.  
  
Behind them, Arden announced that there were only three females alive in the entire Dungeons. Koru replied that she had expected as much. There was a silence.  
  
"How is Bulma?" Koru asked. She was still in shock that she now actually stood beyond her prison. She kept looking over her shoulder at the bent bars, shaking her head in disbelief.  
  
"She's alive, that's all that matters." Vegeta said quietly. "She and Spider are at Strifelon's right now."  
  
Koru tried not to look at the repulsive green mess that used to be Tajil. She noticed that Arden was trying quite unsuccessfully to as well. She suddenly felt sorry for him. She could only imagine how he felt to discover the ugly truth about his best friend. It was a strange thing that Arden had not been angry with the Prince. She would have though that, being a proud warrior himself; he would have at least voiced his opinion on the matter. Oh well, she supposed. Nothing could reason with Vegeta when he was angry…and he had killed Tajil for a good cause. The man had tried to kill Bulma, and Spider. She swallowed and looked worriedly at Vegeta.  
  
"Is Spider all right?" she asked softly.  
  
The emotion in Vegeta's eyes suggested that he wasn't.  
  
"Come on." Arden broke the silence and gave Koru an encouraging smile. "Don't you want to go outside?"  
  
Koru nodded. Together the three of them began to walk up the stairs.  
  
* * *  
  
"What's taking him so long?" Bulma was sitting staring down at her hands and the mug of warm Storkrin ale that Onyx had brought her. It had been a while since Vegeta had left. She was beginning to get worried.  
  
Spider lay at their feet. The blood from his wounds was soaking through the six thick layers of bandage, but he was still alive. Still alive, and fighting to continue to be so. He would have given his life for Bulma. He only hoped she knew that.  
  
Bulma's mind was swimming with thoughts about the Prince. What had he and the strange, quiet man they called Arden done? She thought back to Tajil and Koru. What had become of them? She hoped that whatever Tajil's fate, it had been gruesome and painful. With Vegeta concerned, she had a feeling it would be.  
  
Onyx looked down his snout at her. His eyes were gentle and calm like his fathers. She noticed him casting quick glances to Spider.  
  
"Do you think he'll live?" he whispered.  
  
"He's a fighter." Bulma said through tears. "And if he doesn't, then by Kami, we'll give him the best burial a dog could have had."  
  
At the mention of the word, Spider whined and thumped his tails. Bulma leaned over the table and smiled gently at him. "Yes, you're a dog." She grinned. "You know I'm right." She paused. "And you're going to live. I promise."  
  
"You ssseem to be very clossse to him."  
  
"He's taken a place in my heart that will never be replaced." She replied. "So has Ghost. This entire trip has changed me so much…"  
  
Onyx caught the meaning in her words. "And the Prince…?" he pressed. "I sssee how he looksss at you." Onyx touched her arm lightly. "It'sss very impresssive, to make a victory over a beassst like him."  
  
Bulma looked up, startled, and then the two shared an outburst of laughter. She had to stop almost instantly because of the sharp bolts of pain racking up and down her ribs. Onyx calmed himself and stepped down from the table. He extended a hand.  
  
"Come." He said quietly, smiling softly. "You need ressst."  
  
"He's not a beast." She shot back, though she grinned while she said it. "Just a little bit of a weirdo sometimes."  
  
"Of courssse." He replied and helped her down. "I will have my father prepare sssome sssoup."  
  
"I'd like that." She looked up at him as he led her through the dark, narrow halls. "You're a very kind boy, Onyx." She said. "You're going to have a fine wife someday."  
  
A blush spread through the already red-skinned cheeks of the young Storkrin. "Do…you think ssso?"  
  
Bulma nodded. "I do."  
  
* * *  
  
When one has been living underground for three years, they become accustomed to the darkness. Much like a mole's eyes, which never see the light of day, Koru's eyes were much like this as Vegeta and Arden helped her out of the marble entrance and into the sunlight.  
  
At first, she thought she had gone blind. R'haksin was a fairly dark Planet, she remembered it being that way, but compared to the lighting that she had stared out at in The Dungeons, it was as though she had stepped inside a gigantic lightbulb.  
  
Koru gasped painfully and squeezed her eyes shut against the white-hot light that surrounded her from all sides. Her legs trembled beneath her and she stepped unsteadily upon the red earth as the Prince and the Guard led her forward.  
  
"Are you alright?" Arden asked from beside her. Vegeta had released her arm and was walking ahead, watching for other Storkrin's or any potential dangers. There were still many that did not know about this, and many that would react much more violently than should be normal.  
  
Koru nodded and felt blindly ahead of her with her feet. The soles of her hardened feet touched down into the soft earth and she nearly cried in delight of the sensation of dirt sifting between her toes.  
  
"Open your eyesss." Arden urged quietly into her ear. He was smiling; his entire being swelling with the happiness of seeing this poor woman at last set free. He was doing everything he could to help her, and the look in his eyes did not go unnoticed by Vegeta, who turned up ahead to regard them both carefully.  
  
"Your eyes will need much adjusting." Vegeta said. "You'll have to do it gradually. Don't rush yourself."  
  
Again, Koru nodded. She had opened her eyes but only enough to look through tiny slits at her feet. She did not wish to fall on her first day out of The Dungeons. She stopped, suddenly, and looked for Vegeta.  
  
"Prince?"  
  
Vegeta felt a strange memory twist inside him at being called by his title. He supposed he would always feel that way with the Storkrins, they all called him that. He was surprised to find that this strong, proud woman would as well.  
  
"Hn?"  
  
"What will you do, now, with The Dungeons?"  
  
"Arden will deliver you safely to Strifelons. I will meet temporarily with The Council, and we will meet up back here." He gestured to Arden, who nodded in response. "We will retrieve the last three women, and then I will destroy The Dungeons, for good."  
  
Koru's breath halted momentarily. "Destroy them…?"  
  
Vegeta scowled and crossed his arms. "You don't mean to tell me that you object?"  
  
Koru considered his question. "No…" she shook her head and tightened her hold on Arden's arm. "I would like that very much."  
  
"Good." He turned and continued heading toward Stifelon's, in much of a hurry. All he could think of was Bulma.  
  
* * *  
  
All thoughts of Tajil and his death were gone for Arden. Now, he could think of nothing but this beautiful woman he and the Prince had just rescued. He watched her every step beside him as she leaned against him, so unwilling to accept help but at the same time, needing him.  
  
Needing.  
  
Had he ever been needed? He did not know. His thoughts were a strange mixture of nervousness, affection, and regret. He could not believe that such a beauty as this Storkrin had been shut away without another word. Tajil had not known that day, but Arden had been in charge of Site H; the back halls of The Dungeons, where he had locked away many women. It hurt him now deeply to know that he had been a contributor to this very woman's suffering. He suddenly felt disgusted with himself. How had they allowed themselves to resort to such barbaric means that day so long ago? How had he?  
  
Koru had opened her eyes, and was looking at him now. He blushed and was thankful for this dark skin tone. He tried to smile at her.  
  
"Is anything wrong?" she asked, leaning against him. Her steps were still uncertain, but the thick cords of muscle in her thighs and calves were constricting and flexing with regained strength with every step she took.  
  
"Nothing." He shook his head. "What isss it like, being out here like thisss, now?"  
  
Koru paused for a moment before answering.  
  
"It's like…being born again."  
  
* * *  
  
Spider's head jerked up when he heard the familiar click of the latch far above, signaling his masters return. The Sayajin's scent permeated the air, a mixture of sweat, blood and anticipation.  
  
Bulma hobbled to his side and gently lay a hand on his neck, gently but firmly pushing him back down. "No, boy." She whispered. "Don't get up. You need to rest."  
  
Spider whined and strained against her weakly, his tails lashing violently as he heard each step of Vegeta's return. Bulma stood, wiped her hair away from her eyes, and turned to meet him at the stairs. She almost stopped breathing when she saw that it was Koru.  
  
Koru broke out in a massive grin and stormed toward Bulma.  
  
"Koru!" Bulma cried with a giant grin of her own. "What the hell…how did you…?"  
  
She stopped when she saw Vegeta and the Storkrin guard from before. She made the connection silently.  
  
"They helped me." Koru said, still smiling. She was crying now. "Oh, Bulma, you have no idea how it feels…it's like…like I'm…" she trailed off, shaking her head.  
  
Bulma turned and walked toward Vegeta, who looked back at her under thick eyebrows. Inside, he was trembling like a dog on the hunt, wanting to break out of his hiding place and run toward her. He wanted to catch her in his arms and swing her around, damn it, if it weren't for the wounds. He wanted to go back out into the red Planet and beat the shit out of anyone that might have even had anything to do with her pain. He looked at her now, as she stood slightly bent at the waist, bruised and battered, and stepped forward to gently embrace her.  
  
She leaned her head into him with a soft sigh, and uncertain hands fluttered at her back, not knowing where to hug, not knowing how hard to.  
  
"Are you ok?" he asked softly, leaning his face into her hair.  
  
"Mmm hmm." She nodded.  
  
"I killed him." he said softly. "And I'm going to destroy The Dungeons. Arden and I will return in a few hours, retrieve the last few women, and then it will be gone."  
  
She tightened her arms around him. She didn't care. She only wanted this hug to last forever.  
  
Then, from behind them, Spider hobbled up, limping, to where the two stood. With what was obviously a tremendous effort, the Roctorn nudged Vegeta's hand, begging for a pat on the head. Vegeta pulled away from Bulma and leaned down toward the trembling, but smiling, animal.  
  
"Spider, you idiot." He scolded. No one but Bulma heard the underlying heartache in his voice. "You shouldn't be up."  
  
Spider tried to wag his tails, but his back legs gave out, and he collapsed into the Prince's arms. Vegeta stood and carried him over to his bed where he lay him down.  
  
"Stay." He said softly.  
  
The four stood together and stared down at the small animal who lay so helplessly at their feet. "He will be alright." Arden said, laying a hand on Bulmas shoulder. "Don't worry."  
  
"I hope so…," she said softly. "I hope so…" 


	28. Chapter Twenty Eight: I like you

Chapter Twenty Eight: I like you  
  
Authors Notes:  
  
HEY! I HAVE A WEBPAGE!! PLEASE CHECK IT OUT, AND SIGN MY GUESTBOOK! ^_^ ADDRESS:  
  
http://jesajaisai.tripod.com  
  
  
  
Ghost was lost.  
  
He had been wandering through a series of holes and tunnels for the last couple of hours. Did his 'mom' even know where he was? He was beginning to doubt that she did. Wouldn't she have come to rescue him by now if she were worried?  
  
These were only thoughts he might have thought, had his brain been big enough. But his was only large enough to understand that he was hungry, cold, and frightened. Which were all elements that went with being lost.  
  
He plopped his furry bottom down upon the cold cement and sighed miserably. His tiny paws were soiled with mud and his ribs hurt from squeezing through the tiny space's wall after wall. The air was very thick and cloudy with dust.  
  
He had no idea that in the next hour he would be dead.  
  
* * *  
  
Onyx growled uncharacteristically as his father's house was suddenly overtaken by a horde of Storkrin guards. They threw open the latch, climbed inside, and thundered down the stairs with professional intent.  
  
The bulk of them stomped up to Arden, recognizing him, and instantly demanded an explanation.  
  
"What isss the meaning of thisss?" they hissed. The largest of them leaned into Arden's face and glared. "Tajil isss dead. The Prince isss hearding women out of The Dungeonsss." He paused, as Arden was surrounded by the six large men. "What have you done?"  
  
Arden managed to push them back and gain a tiny bit of breathing room. "Have you not ssspoken with The Council?" he asked them. "The Prince hasss ssspoken with The Council. Take it up with him."  
  
The guards glared. They were obviously very agitated, after all, something they had worked very hard to preserve was being uprooted, disrupted, and ultimately screwed over. Understandably, none of the thickheaded guards could comprehend why this was happening. It threatened them, and they were reacting with violence.  
  
The big guard jabbed Arden in the chest with a giant claw. It struck the thick cluster of rock and made a scratching sound. For the first time, Arden scowled back.  
  
* * *  
  
Meanwhile, in the next room, Bulma and Koru had froze at the sound of the angry voices. They could hear muffled words but could not make out any specifics. Whatever was going on, though, it wasn't pretty. Bulma turned to Koru and gave her a worried look. Koru was looking at the floor, a dismayed look on her recently beaming face. Her sharp hearing picked up what Bulma's could not.  
  
They were going to retrieve her. They were going to take her back again. Her freedom was lost…already.  
  
Bulma touched her arm, shaking her out of her thoughts. "What?" she whispered.  
  
"It's…Storkrin guards." She whispered back. "They're probably looking for me."  
  
Bulma looked around the room. Onyx was with them, a few paces away, stirring something at his fathers stove. The bubbling of the water prevented him from hearing the faint words in the next room. Bulma looked him over quickly. She doubted he would be able to do much if a fight broke out; he wasn't much larger than she was. Arden could easily be overpowered by…. She paused.  
  
"How many?" she asked Koru.  
  
Koru paused and listened for a moment. "I can't be sure. It sounds like a fairly large group."  
  
Bulma stood. She had made up her mind. "Come on." She motioned to her friend. "We need to get out of here."  
  
Behind them, Spider whined nervously as he watched them depart. Try as he might, he couldn't make himself stand.  
  
* * *  
  
Arden grunted as he was shoved roughly into the wall. Instinct kicked in and he felt the rush of adrenaline surge through his body. His senses sharpened, and he rose his heavily muscled arms in front of his face. He growled softly.  
  
"There isss no need for violence!" he cried as they moved in on him. Desperately, he weighed his odds. They were heavily against him; six powerful guards against himself. Unless he had a weapon of some sort. His eyes widened as he remembered the Storkrin female he and the Prince had rescued. Koru! She and the earthling female were still in the next room! He knew he had to do something. They could get killed if he wasn't careful. Slowly, he lowered his hands.  
  
"Look, the-" he was cut off as they snorted in disgust and pushed past him. He looked worriedly at where they were heading…. Directly for the room that they two women were in. He ran to catch up with them and dove in front of the largest guard, blocking the door.  
  
"Lisssten," he started, but they would hear none of it. They slammed past him through the doorway, but yelped in surprise as the two women barreled through their mass and made a break for the stairs leading outside. Arden blinked a couple of times before he broke into a run.  
  
"CATCH THEM!" the largest guard screamed to his men. Arden caught up with them seconds before the door opened, and everyone skidded to a halt, staring at the scowling form of the Prince. Bulma and Koru squeaked, startled, before regaining their senses and diving ungracefully behind him. It was a funny sight; a 7'6 Storkrin female cowering behind a man of 5'3. The expression on Vegeta's face was enough to prevent anyone from approaching any further.  
  
Cold black eyes scanned the six angry Storkrin faces. They rested at last on Arden's face, who shrugged sheepishly. "Are we having a problem?" he asked calmly. Arden shook his head while the others nodded furiously.  
  
"Not anymore." He grinned at the Prince. Vegeta smirked back. He stepped down from the landing and walked toward the guards, who backtracked frantically like a wave from the shoreline.  
  
"It looks to me as though you intended to hurt these women." Vegeta said once he had come to a stop. He crossed his arms and scowled his best 'I'm going to brutally disembowel you now' scowl. A loud swallowing noise could be heard.  
  
"Prince," The big guard gathered his courage and stepped forward, "Thessse women need to be dealt with. It isss not proper to have them running about." He pointed to Koru, who lowered her eyes to the floor; "They are infected."  
  
"I'm well aware of that." Vegeta replied. "Why should that make any difference where they live?"  
  
The guard looked appalled. "Why, becaussse they could contaminate the area!" he cried, incredulous. "Doesss thisss not make them a threat?"  
  
Vegeta shook his head while he laughed. "You boy's really don't get it, do you? Either you get the fuck out of here now, or I come over there and kill each one of you slowly and painfully."  
  
The guards understood. Fear of the Sayajin Prince who had killed many of their kind so long ago was burned deep into their memory, and chancing a tangle with him was like playing with fire. It was a fear that resided in all Storkrins, much as it resided in the minds of the six guards before him. Keeping careful to avoid being close to him at all costs, they inched across the room, glaring balefully at Arden, and then made a quick exit up through the stairs. Once they were gone, Bulma turned to Vegeta and grinned hugely.  
  
Koru placed a hand on the Prince's shoulder. "Thank you, Vegeta." She said softly. Seeming to catch her uncharacteristic act she pulled away and instead walked over to Arden, where she stood very close and smiled up at him. Arden looked away, feeling quite ashamed with himself. Vegeta and Bulma took their cue and left the room to check up on Spider.  
  
Once alone, Koru gently took Arden's hand in her own and smiled up at him. "Thank you." She said.  
  
"For what?" Arden cried, feeling ashamed of himself. "I didn't do anything. I only acted like a coward." He sighed miserably and looked down at his feet. "It wasss the Prince who sssaved you."  
  
Koru shook her head. "You don't understand, Arden." She smiled. "I don't care if you didn't do anything. What I care about is that I know you would have, if you would have needed to." She leaned up on her toes and kissed him quickly on the cheek. Both of them blushed a deep red.  
  
"I like you, Arden." Koru said, her face a mask of girlish crushing. "I like you a lot."  
  
* * *  
  
In the kitchen, Bulma and Vegeta were surprised (and delighted) to discover that they too were alone. Strifelon and Onyx were in the living room preparing more herbs and salves for Spider, who lay a few feet from Bulma and Vegeta. Vegeta walked over and gave the brave creature a gentle scratch behind the ears. He was apparently doing ok. Vegeta was relieved; he had been worrying about Spider's recovery for a while now. Vegeta stood and turned to Bulma and drew her into his arms. He stared into her eyes as he held her loosely, still afraid to hold her too hard. Bulma encouraged him with a gentle kiss.  
  
"Vegeta," she said when she pulled away, "I'm alright. You don't have to be so careful." She lowered her eyes and felt a faint redness creeping into her cheeks. "In fact, I've been thinking about you being…rough…with me, for quite some time now." She paused. "You haven't forgotten your promise, have you?"  
  
Feeling the familiar desire creeping into the crotch of his pants, Vegeta smirked evilly. "No, woman." He leaned down and nipped at the bridge of her nose. "I haven't." he stopped and seemed to catch himself. "Bulma…I don't know…." She lifted her eyes to his. "I don't want to hurt you. I won't believe you if you tell me you're healed. I know you're not."  
  
Bulma shook her head. "Vegeta, I've been driving myself crazy about you for days now. I can't stop thinking about you, and about us. I want to be with you, Vegeta. I want…" she drew a breath, "I want you to screw my brains out."  
  
Vegeta closed his eyes and laughed, shaking his head as he leaned his face into Bulma's hair. "Woman," he chuckled, "Why do you tempt me so?"  
  
Bulma pressed herself into him, inhaling deep the scent of his neck. "Because, my Prince, I want you." 


	29. Chapter Twenty Nine: Auction

Chapter Twenty Nine: Auction  
  
Authors Notes: I'm really, really Sorry for the really late update, but as I told some of you, and I have been suffering from a really bad case of writer's block for the past week or two. Again, I'm sorry, but I didn't want to write while I was stumped, because then the chapter would have turned out ugly. I had some personal things to take care of as well, which stopped me from getting creative. Anyway, I hope you like this one.  
  
~J.J  
  
The nine adolescents Roctorn's were having the time of their lives while their masters were away. Food lay everywhere, boxes and cartons lay in tattered, chewed up pieces strewn across the floor. The large couch had become a scratching post, and Roctorn…poo…lay in rather large piles in every corner. The Roctorn's didn't mind. They were thoroughly enjoying their freedom, and were content to keep up the frantic pace of their destruction.  
  
It would be short lived, however.  
  
The door to the ship swung open with its usual hiss of exhaled air, and nine debris covered heads lifted toward the direction of the two intruders. It was none other than Vegeta and Bulma; their masters come to reclaim their rightful space. The more intelligent of the Roctorn's made a hasty retreat to whatever cover they could find, abandoning their current toys. The others remained content to chew and gnaw on the vulnerable corners of the couch and kitchen counter.  
  
"WHAT IN THE SEVEN HELLS IS THIS!?" Vegeta screamed. Spider, who was limp in Vegeta's arms, took the moment to revel in his siblings expressions as they looked up and saw the bulging vein on the Prince's purple forehead.  
  
It wouldn't have needed an apology, but yet the Roctorns gave the Prince one. Crawling forward on nervous bellies tails swishing to and fro as they whined anxiously, they halted before him and stared obediently at the floor. Having no training, it was an odd thing to see happening. It was as though they knew that the man who stood before them was a Prince, and that they needed to show such respect in his presence.  
  
Although Vegeta was not cruel enough to send them away he took a small amount of private pleasure in the display. Bulma, however, wasn't about to honor his princely attitude. She stalked forward and gave all the Roctorn's an evil glare, ignoring him completely.  
  
"You should be ashamed of yourselves!" she scolded. "This is no way to live in a house!" she turned to Vegeta after they had all slunk away, back into the corners of the ship, where they feel somewhat safe.  
  
"This is going to take hours to clean up." She moaned. "And I feel like shit to boot…"  
  
Vegeta made his usual unimpressed noise. "What are you saying, woman?"  
  
Bulma made an exasperated sigh. "I'm saying that my back hurts, I was just beaten the hell up, and I don't want to crawl around on the floor for the rest of the day cleaning up Roctorn shit!"  
  
Vegeta resumed staring ahead. "This problem needs to be dealt with swiftly." He remarked. "The Roctorn's are already getting bigger by the day." He paused. "Spider is enough trouble."  
  
"What are you implying?"  
  
"I think we need to get rid of them."  
  
"Who would we give them too? Nobody would want a pack of mischievous little rug rats like these!"  
  
"No," Vegeta agreed as the idea began to form in his head. "Nobody would want them, when they haven't been somewhat trained." He looked at her. "But we've had them for a good number of weeks now. They're used to human…err…'alien' contact by now. I'm sure someone would want them."  
  
Bulma considered what he was saying. She crossed her arms and looked thoughtful. "What would a Storkrin want with nine adolescent Roctorns?"  
  
Vegeta shrugged. "Who knows?" he grumbled. "I wouldn't know. Maybe they'd use them for guard dogs or something."  
  
"Al right," Bulma looked at him. "Let's say we decide to do this. The question is how do we go about it?"  
  
"We auction them off at the Council." He said with a smirk. "And we leave this mess for later. I'll clean up the shit…" he paused. "And you can handle the rest when you're feeling better. While you're resting, I'll make this marvelous idea of mine happen."  
  
"YOU'RE going to clean up shit?" Bulma cried, trying not to laugh. She stopped her chuckling when she realized what exactly he was doing. He was giving up his usual arrogance to help her out. She smiled.  
  
"Sounds like a plan." She said, giving him another awkward kiss on the cheek. "Thanks."  
  
With that, she was gone, leaving Vegeta to wonder if offering to help clean up piles of shit had been a good idea. Sighing, he went off down the kitchen hallway to fetch the mop and pail. Dr. Briefs had equipped this ship with a mop and pail, hadn't he…?  
  
* * *  
  
Ghost supposed the fates had been kind to him.  
  
Well, he might have thought that if his tiny brain would have allowed him. It was the most unlikely of people who had come to his rescue, and he was still feeling a little odd about it.  
  
After all, wasn't the big ugly red and black thing that he had always assumed hated him an enemy?  
  
Spider, limping and growling pushed his dry blunt nose into Ghost once again. The Ceribulum had been lost for hours now, and even though his enemy was rescuing him, he was extremely happy about it.  
  
If Spider could talk, he would have been grumbling and complaining to Ghost about how he had better hurry up before Bulma and Vegeta discovered that he had snuck out. After all, if he hadn't rescued him right this minuet, no one would have, because only Spider had the sense of smell of sniff the little guy out. He would have also been whining about how he must be crazy to rescue an idiot lint ball like Ghost.  
  
But, he merely nudged the small creature out of the crevasse he was hiding in, flipped him up onto his back, and began the slow limp back to the ship.  
  
Halfway there, Ghost leaned down in the big Roctorn's ear and chirped a warm 'than you'.  
  
* * *  
  
  
  
By the time Vegeta had cleaned up the eighteen towering piles of steaming crap, he was ready to douse the entire litter of watching Roctorn's in flammable liquids.  
  
But, he gathered his dignity and his pride and put it all together in a nice little package, straightened, and went to wash his hands in the sink. He made sure to give each and every one of the small dog creatures a heavy glare as he did.  
  
When he was done he stood drying his hands with the tea towel and admired his work.  
  
"Better than that woman would have done." He mumbled. "I shouldn't have done it anyway, it's not a mans job, and certainly not a Prince's."  
  
He threw the towel absently onto the counter and turned to regard all the Roctorns. "Now, what the hell are we going to put you little shitheads in?"  
  
The Roctorns stared back at him, large yellow eyes unblinking, tails lashing, mouths agape with childish yawns. Some got up and began to wander around the ship, sniffing at corners and regarding the damage they had done. They didn't seem so terrified about it now.  
  
"We can't keep you anymore." Vegeta announced, and then instantly felt stupid for talking to them. "Especially after you do stuff like this."  
  
More yawns.  
  
"So, I'm going to stuff you all in a giant box and cart you off to The Council. I'm sure you'll all go to great homes."  
  
Not trying to keep the sarcasm out of his voice, Vegeta stalked out the room in search of a big enough box. 


	30. Chapter Thirty: How much are they worth ...

1 Chapter Thirty: How much are they worth to you?  
  
Authors Notes: I'm sure a lot of you are still pissed about my hella late update, but I told you I was busy. I hope none of you lost faith in me. I made a promise that I would finish this fanfic, and I'm going to keep my promise.  
  
  
  
Bulma turned her head when she heard the door opening. It was Vegeta, coming to collect any Roctorns that had sneaked away while he'd been cleaning. She was just finishing drying her hair; her shower had done wonders for her. Feeling rejuvenated and goofy, she stepped out of the bathroom, letting her towel carelessly hang off her hips, and she sauntered up to Vegeta.  
  
"I hope you're feeling better." He growled sarcastically. He was about to say more when he finally let his eyes take a good long look. "I thought you were going to take a nap…"  
  
She shrugged. "I needed a shower. I…still had some blood to wash off."  
  
This brought Vegeta back to reality. Reaching out a hand he gently touched the ugly black bruises that covered her shoulders. "That Tajil…he really did a number on you, didn't he?"  
  
Bulma lifted her chin. "I stood up to him. And I got a couple of good hits in, too."  
  
"You know, with that attitude of yours, you would have made a great Sayajin." He smiled surprisingly gently, and then drew her into an unexpected embrace. "Are you feeling better?"  
  
She leaned into him fully, letting her body relax in his strong grip. He smelled so good, despite the fact that he was all sweaty and had just been cleaning up Roctorn shit. She sighed into him. It felt so good she didn't want this security to end yet. When he pulled away she frowned slightly but nodded to his question.  
  
"I'm tough." She said simply. "The bruises hurt a little, but besides that…" she shook her head as if to dismiss the issue and took his hands in her own. "It doesn't matter." She said. "I just want to forget about everything for a moment."  
  
When she started to lead him backward toward the bed, Vegeta felt his pulse jump accordingly. Does she want me to make love to her? He wondered silently. The look on her face betrayed her seriousness; she looked absolutely driven wild. And he couldn't deny that he wanted to throw her down and take her right then and there, but she was still wounded, and they had things to do…  
  
Bulma noticed his wary look and stopped. A million thoughts and worries raced through her head. "What's wrong?" she said, her forehead creasing with apprehension. "You don't…want me?"  
  
"Bulma," Vegeta said, trying to smile, but it came out more a frown, "Don't get me wrong…you're…" he struggled briefly with the words. "You're beautiful, even with these wounds, but…" he swallowed. "I don't want to hurt you."  
  
"Vegeta, I'm all right." She whispered. "Really. It doesn't hurt. I just want you can't you understand that? I've wanted you since the day we came here. Please, just grant me this."  
  
  
  
And then somehow he was overpowered by a weak human female. With her soft, small hands she took him and harnessed him with her perfumed scent and her never-ending eyes and he was being led toward the soft place where they could both forget everything for a moment. Never before had he allowed himself to be taken by the hand and led like a child, and yet here he was, and…and he was enjoying it.  
  
When Bulma slowly inched onto the bed, shuffling backwards on her behind, Vegeta straddled her as she lay herself down on the sheets. When he gently pressed his weight into her and looked down into her flushed face, however, he instantly caught it. Oh, she had tried hard to hide it, but it was like looking through a sheet of cellophane. He saw the faint cringe of obvious pain as pressure was applied to her bruises. Instantly he sat up, taking her gently with him, and they sat, forehead to forehead, just staring at each other. Neither had to say anything, they knew what was wrong. A moment passes before Bulma broke the gaze and looked away, obviously embarrassed.  
  
"I guess I lied." She said flatly. Her fingers twisted horribly in her lap as she battled with her conflicting emotions. She wanted to bolt, to run from this enigma of a man who only tormented her with such sweet pain. But she couldn't. He was her savior, after all.  
  
So let's put a smile on, ok? She told herself silently.  
  
"Are you all right?" he grumbled, obviously a little disappointed himself. But she nodded and continued smiling. "I'm fine. We can…" she took his hand in her own again. "Finish this some other time, right?"  
  
He nodded uncomfortably. "Sure."  
  
It was a funny thing that when they both stood up the same words came out of their mouths; "Wait a second…where's Spider?"  
  
* * *  
  
Bulma wasn't too sure that the plan she and Vegeta had worked out was the greatest, but so far it was the only one that would work.  
  
Nursing her cup of coffee (she had recently begun to feel ill) Bulma stared down into its depths and frowned. Spider was still missing. Both Bulma and Vegeta were equally upset, and Bulma could tell from the strange, perturbed look in the Sayajin's eyes. He cared for Spider; there was no denying it. He seemed to do a lot of caring about things he swore he hated lately. She smiled at the thought, but quickly frowned again when she thought of her two missing pets. Ghost was still at large. What would happen to him if a Storkrin found him all by himself? Would they kill him? She assumed they knew her well enough by now that they would simply return him. She hoped so.  
  
"Did you even talk to The Council?" she looked up at him. "I mean, how the hell are they even dealing with the death of Treskor and Tajil?"  
  
"They have no choice but to deal with it." Vegeta scowled. "There is no 'dealing with it' they must only accept that I've killed them. What's done is done."  
  
Bulma shrugged. She wasn't sure how –she- felt about the whole deal.  
  
"They deserved to die."  
  
She was silent.  
  
"Don't you agree? I would think you foolish if you didn't." he leaned forward across the table. "After all, Treskor is the one who made The Dungeons possible, and Tajil beat the living snot out of you."  
  
She nodded. "I suppose. But…it's just so abrupt. I mean, do we really want to auction off this little guys after such a lot of stuff has happened? Don't you think some of the Storkrin's are in shock?"  
  
Vegeta only frowned. "Look, they're getting bigger every day." He said. "We can't keep putting this off."  
  
"I didn't say we had to put it off. I suggested we give them some time."  
  
"You know, for a scummy race that's given you so much shit the past few weeks, you'd think you wouldn't be so quick to consider their personal well being." He said accusingly.  
  
"And you'd think that for a girl who's given you so much trouble lately, you'd be a lot better off to forget about her." She countered.  
  
A thick silence filled the air around the two. Vegeta stared hard at the blue eyes that tried so hard to stare back at him, but kept faltering and wandering off.  
  
"Don't try to turn this around." Vegeta said slowly. Bulma recognized the tone of voice he was using; it was the same sort he used when he was close to anger.  
  
"Why do you say things like that?" he shook his head while he said it.  
  
"Because I tend to make a great big satire out of everything I don't understand." She sulked.  
  
"No, it's because you're afraid of everything you don't understand."  
  
Bulma lifted her head. "Excuse me? –I'm- afraid of everything I don't understand? Correct me if I'm wrong, but for the last few weeks that we've started having these little confrontations, my memory tells me that –you're- the one whose the master at avoiding all my questions!" she blurted.  
  
"Whatever." Vegeta shrugged.  
  
"See, you're doing it right now."  
  
A half-smile. "So maybe you're right. Although that would be a miracle." He snorted, giving her one of his typical smirks.  
  
"Shut up." She put her head down and moaned when her stomach churned suddenly.  
  
"So is this why you're all moody and jumpy for an argument all of a sudden? Because of Spider and Ghost?"  
  
"Vegeta, as much as you can't understand it, I love both of them." She muttered. "And yes, to answer your question, that's probably why."  
  
"All right then." He stood. She realized that he had let her off the hook easy, with none of his usual snappy remarks or cutting comments. He hadn't even made an effort to continue their argument. She knew something was up, and she could tell that he knew she knew.  
  
"Ok, out with it." She said.  
  
Vegeta considered feigning confusion for a moment but decided to instead just cut to the chase.  
  
"I was waiting until you felt better to tell you this, but I guess that's not going to happen."  
  
"Just tell me!"  
  
"When you were sleeping and I went to see The Council, they told me that Koru and the other Storkrin women are being put on a recovery plan immediately."  
  
Bulma stood up, a smile slowly spreading across her face. "Really?"  
  
"Yes." He replied. "Now come on, we have to get these guys together. We can stop by Strifelon's on the way and see how it's working out."  
  
"Let me change first." She said as she began heading out the kitchen. When she got the hallway she stopped and turned, her face suddenly sad again. "Wait…what about Spider and Ghost?"  
  
Vegeta sighed. "My guess is that Spider went looking for him."  
  
"What?" Bulma cried. "Spider hates Ghost!"  
  
"I know," Vegeta shrugged, "But can you think of another reason why he would wander off wounded?"  
  
"No…" she said softly, "I guess I can't. But…you don't think he'll hurt himself even more, do you?"  
  
"I can't answer that." Vegeta said. "Look, if you think they're more important than anything else right now, we can go looking for them."  
  
"I think we should." She said after a moment's pause. "Do you? I mean…we can deal with the rest of these guys tomorrow. I really won't be able to sleep knowing they're both out there somewhere, especially with Spider being wounded."  
  
"Then for Kami's sake, if you're going to be like that for the rest of the night, then yes, let's go look for them!"  
  
Bulma stuck out her tongue.  
  
"Woman, do you think going out there is such a good idea?" he asked, ignoring her rude gesture. "I mean, you're feeling like shit, what if you suddenly get Forae or something?"  
  
"I'll be fine."  
  
"Are you really that worried about them?" he frowned. "Think about it…I mean, your health is more important than them."  
  
"Who says?" she said. "Look, I'll dress warmly. I'll be ok."  
  
Vegeta shrugged. He didn't want to argue.  
  
"All right. Then hurry up before it gets any darker." 


	31. Chapter Thirty One: Here it comes

Chapter Thirty One: Here it comes  
  
Authors Notes: Hey everyone. I'm happy to report that I am now completely out of my writer's block and back on track with my fic. Thank you to the person who suggested that I re-read my fic to get ideas, it worked! (Sorry! I forgot your name! -_-) Anyway, I wanted to remind you all of something…  
  
JOIN MY MAILING LIST!!  
  
http://jesajaisai.tripod.com  
  
^_^  
  
P.S For all of you out there who are wondering about the Lemon, the answer to your question is YES, there will be a Lemon, probably a couple, but you must be patient. Mwahaha.  
  
Koru couldn't help but flinch at the word 'needle'. All her life, she had always been terrified of the long, sharp instruments. Now, sitting on the edge of the table while Strifelon prepared one, she instinctively took Arden's hand in her own. He smiled reassuringly at her as he felt her trembling through her hand.  
  
"Calm down." He spoke softly into her ear. "It'sss only a needle."  
  
"Yes, and the War of the Galaxies was just a misunderstanding."  
  
Arden rolled his eyes. "I thought you were a brave girl." He nudged her jokingly in the ribs.  
  
"You be quiet!" She snapped as Strifelon gently took her arm in his own. Then, "Will this hurt?" she whimpered.  
  
Strifelon raised a thorny eyebrow. "It'sss a needle." He said flatly. "Now, don't move."  
  
She closed her eyes and squeaked as the object made its way through her thick, leathery skin. It was over before she knew it, and was very glad when Strifelon pulled it out of her arm. She released a breath and slumped forward. "How many more of these do I need?"  
  
"However many it will take." Strifelon said absently as he bent over his medical supplies, muttering to himself. "Asss for your ssscarsss…"  
  
"What about them?"  
  
"They will need to be sssurgically removed." He replied.  
  
* * *  
  
The moment they stepped foot into the dark forest, Bulma abandoned all ideas about being heroic and brave and moved much closer to Vegeta. Of course, the move did not go unnoticed by the Sayajin Prince who smirked at her cowardice.  
  
"What's wrong?" he teased.  
  
"Nothing." Bulma replied. "I just can't help but wonder…what 'other' sort of animals inhabit this Planet…"  
  
"Oh," Vegeta shrugged, "Not much. A few giant bears and serpents and whatnot." He quickened his pace as he noticed her horrified look. "Nothing to be worried about."  
  
"Giant…serpents?" Bulma squeaked, trotting to catch up with him. "You're horrible! I know you're lying."  
  
Vegeta gave her a sideways glance. "Why would I be lying? I mean, what reason would I have to instill fear in a pretty little thing like you?"  
  
She smacked him.  
  
"In all seriousness, stay close to me." His visage was suddenly devoid of any of his recent smirking. "There are a couple of assorted nasties around these forests."  
  
"Then why are we looking here?" she demanded.  
  
"Because, they weren't in the cave or The Dungeons." He countered. "That's why."  
  
Bulma sighed nervously and moved even closer to him. Vegeta had not made up the stories about the creatures that inhabited the R'haksin forests to get Bulma closer to him. But, he had to admit to himself, it was a strangely calming and comforting sensation to have her so near. He smiled softly as he watched her cast worried glances into the quickly fading darkness around them.  
  
Quickly fading darkness…  
  
"Woman," Vegeta stopped and took her arm. "Here…" he bent and swept her off the ground and into his arms before she had a chance to argue. "We need to fly; we're not covering enough ground."  
  
"What…?" Bulma was already looking longingly at the forest floor. "Fly?"  
  
"Oh come on, you've flown with Goku and that idiot boyfriend before."  
  
"I told you, he's not my-  
  
She had no chance to argue as she felt the ground leave her at a sickeningly fast speed. The wind's temperature changed within seconds as the currents wiped at her face as they entered the higher altitudes. Her head spun, and her only thought was to dig her nails into the Sayajin as hard as she could to avoid falling. Finally, the spinning stopped and she felt the air began to pass by her at a much gentler pace. She cautiously opened her eyes, her heart hammering in her chest.  
  
"YOU ASSHOLE!" she screamed as she kept her head close to his chest. "You could have been a little more considerate!"  
  
Above her, Vegeta rolled his eyes. He was scanning the forest floor, his eyesight keen enough to spot the smallest of animals within seconds. They speed with which they were covering the ground was alarmingly fast, but his eyes were quicker.  
  
"I can't see them." he announced over the wind.  
  
"What?" Bulma yelled back. The wind was getting colder. She could feel Vegeta's heart pounding rhythmically against the side of her head. Goosebumps rose on her arms.  
  
"Could we stop for a second?" She yelled up at him. "I'M COLD!"  
  
Grumbling, Vegeta nodded, and this time the ground came –up- at them at the alarmingly fast speed. Sayajin boots thudded to the ground and Bulma took a moment to calm her heart before slipping out of his arms.  
  
"You feel good." She said softly, lingering against his body as she straightened and stood. Vegeta smirked sensually at her. His hands grazed the edges of her hips. The look left quickly, however, when he remembered that they had stopped.  
  
"Look, woman, it's getting dark. Why did you want to stop?" he demanded.  
  
"The wind was too cold. I want to warm up for a second, ok?" she shivered and rubbed her arms. She cast a glance back over her shoulder at the dark Prince, then after some consideration, allowed herself to lean fully into him. His arms came around her instantly. She grinned.  
  
"It's not fair. You're always so warm."  
  
"It's just part of being Sayajin." He replied as if it were the most normal thing in the world. He leaned over to the right of them where he spotted a dark bush full of plump, purple berries. He picked a giant handful off the bush and popped them in his mouth.  
  
"So is being a total pig." Bulma mumbled.  
  
"What?" he asked around the mouthful.  
  
"Nothing." She said. Her stomach rumbled, but the berries didn't look all that great. She looked around where they stood to see if there was any place to sit down. She spotted a small groove in a large tree that looked comfortable enough to seat both of them.  
  
"Can we rest for a bit?" she said. "Just a little bit?"  
  
"Don't flutter your eyelashes at –me-, woman." Vegeta said sourly, wiping berry juice off his mouth with the back of his hand. He shrugged. "Only for a bit. I don't want to get caught in the dark."  
  
"Oh, big bad Sayajin is afraid of the dark?" Bulma teased.  
  
"No," Vegeta smirked, "But you'd better be, 'cause I'm what's in it."  
  
And with that, he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her to him with a growl. 


	32. Chapter ThirtyTwo: Love helps you get to...

Chapter Thirty Two: Love helps you get to the bathroom  
  
Authors Notes: Hey everyone, I'm so glad you're enjoying these filler chapters, I was worried they might piss you off. I noticed a couple of complaints about the 'Goku' thing, and now that I think about it, I know I've –never- done that before! (Laughs) I mean, I've been told I'm fairly good at keeping Vegeta in character. Hope it didn't bug anyone too badly ^_^  
  
I know this chapter is short and not my best, and my apologies for that.  
  
I have –already- posted a new story! (I'm getting ahead of myself again!!) If anybody feels like reading it, you should totally check it out. It's called 'The Never Resolutions' R&R, peoples! I know you're all really good at that ^_^  
  
The lateness of this chapter might be explained by the way ff.net has been screwing us all over lately.  
  
My new E-mail address is: Crypt_Cobra@serpents.zzn.com  
  
~J.J  
  
It was a thing the proud prince was not accustomed to, falling asleep in a woman's embrace. In fact, he mused as he awoke slowly and realized his whereabouts; it was the first time he had ever been so comfortably close to –any- female. What frightened him was that he realized he enjoyed the sensation.  
  
Vegeta sat up carefully to avoid waking Bulma, who was slumped back against the tree snoring quietly. He watched her for a moment before slipping completely from her grip and straightening. He took a look around and instantly scolded himself for falling asleep; it was pitch black.  
  
One thing he noticed instantly was that his stomach hurt quite badly. It was not the sort of pain he was accustomed to when Kakarott would lay a good one on him, but rather a different feeling entirely. It was a feeling of…nausea. A feeling he realized he had never felt before. His stomach made a series of loud, unsettling noises and he felt bitter tasting bile rise in the back of his throat.  
  
"Am I going to…throw up?" Vegeta's head spun and he leaned forward, his head bent toward the ground. It seemed absurd and entirely unlike him; he had –never- puked in all his years.  
  
I think I am…  
  
Fortunately for the Prince, the feeling gradually passed, but was replaced by burping, bubbling and churning. He almost wished he –would- have thrown up to avoid the awful sensations.  
  
He took a moment to himself before he turned back to the sleeping woman and gently shook her. "Bulma…" he mumbled, feeling the bile rising in his throat again. "Wake up."  
  
Bulma's eyelids fluttered and came into focus. She saw him, bolted upright and self-consciously wiped her mouth with her fingers, avoiding his gaze. A tiny puddle of drool had nearly slid out of her open mouth.  
  
"Hmm…?" she looked around for a second and then her eyes widened. "Oh Kami!" she squeaked. "What time is it?"  
  
Vegeta scowled. "Do I look like I have a watch, woman?"  
  
Bulma stood up beside him and walked in slow circles, taking in their surroundings. It was the same tree she had suggested they rest against. They had obviously fallen asleep, but how long ago? And for how long a time? She shivered suddenly. It was much, -much- colder than when they had landed.  
  
"Where are we?" she finally asked.  
  
"I…" Vegeta paused and leaned forward again. "I don't know…" he breathed as he prayed for the churning and lurching in his gut to end. –What the hell is wrong with me-?  
  
"Are you all right?" Bulma asked, her brow crinkling. "You don't look so good."  
  
Vegeta burped. "I don't feel…so…good." He clutched a hand to his stomach. "Woman…those berries I ate…"  
  
She nodded. "I remember. There was a bush right over…" she looked around for a moment before pointing. "It's right there."  
  
Vegeta nodded. "Go get me one. Don't eat it."  
  
Bulma didn't know what to make of the Prince's strange request. Why would he tell her not to eat one? Hadn't he eaten a whole handful earlier before they…  
  
Bulma suddenly understood. The berries had obviously not agreed with Vegeta's stomach. But if he had been on R'haksin before, then shouldn't he have known what to eat and what not to eat? She shook her head and she quietly padded over to the berries and grabbed a small handful. From the groaning behind her, it seemed he was in more of a bad way than she had first assumed. Bulma peered at the handful of berries in the faint moonlight, turning them over in her hands. They looked normal enough…so why would they be the culprit in such a crime?  
  
Returning to his side, she handed him a berry. "Here." She said quietly. "Are you sure you're all right?"  
  
Vegeta took a long, hard look at the berry ignoring her altogether, and then after a moments wait roared a number of indistinguishable but obviously rude Sayajin curses.  
  
"What?" Bulma asked impatiently when he was done.  
  
"Just as I thought…" he trailed off and made a wretched face. "How could I have…been so stupid?"  
  
Bulma shrugged helplessly. "What the hell is going on?"  
  
"These are Yaden Berries." He burped and grimaced again. "They're not poisonous…but they…aren't the best things to…eat."  
  
Bulma shook her head. "Then why did you eat them?" she blurted. "I mean, shouldn't you know enough about this Planet…" she trailed off when she saw the look on his face.  
  
"Sorry." She mumbled. She turned her hand over and dumped the rest of the berries on the ground. "So…are you going to be ok?"  
  
Vegeta plopped down on the ground beside the tree, groaning and clutching his stomach. It was terribly embarrassing for him to be watched by Bulma in such a vulnerable state.  
  
"Maybe you should lay down." She suggested. "Lay on your back and put your knees up."  
  
"Why?" Vegeta managed.  
  
"Because that's what my Doctor always told me to do when I had a bad stomach ache." She replied, sitting down beside him. "Trust me."  
  
Vegeta couldn't help but feel a bit vulnerable as he lay down on his back beside the demanding female. She had that powerful 'don't mess with me' look on her face, which of course, meant that he shouldn't mess with her. But he was practically programmed to not trust or like anybody. Sighing, he grudgingly laid down beside her, trying to make himself as comfortable as he could against the hard bark of the tree.  
  
"You know," Bulma began after she was satisfied he wasn't going anywhere, "I thought when you growled and grabbed me like that, I thought you were going to…" she trailed off, blushing.  
  
Vegeta moaned. The mention of sex made it all the more torturous. He rolled an eye up to her. "Woman, that was precisely what I planned to do." He said. "And we did kiss." He said, staring ahead as though he had just somehow damaged his pride by saying so. Bulma smiled.  
  
"Are you feeling any better yet?"  
  
He didn't want to admit that she was right. "A little." He said, trying to close his eyes. The pain –had- subsided, but it wasn't gone, and he knew with sinking finality that they weren't going to get out of the forest anytime soon. Not until his stomach ache passed.  
  
Bulma rolled over and put her chin in her hands. "So what you're basically saying is you can't fly with a stomach ache."  
  
He glared daggers at her. "I might be able to if I didn't have to carry –you- all the way."  
  
She shrugged, indifferent. "Then I'll stay here."  
  
Vegeta's eyes widened. This was truly something new. Bulma, being ok with staying by herself in darkened woods? He paused. Something wasn't right. She was testing him. He smirked, deciding to call her bluff.  
  
"Then I'll see you tomorrow." He said, standing up. Bulma's calm expression maintained somewhat before crumbling. "I…I didn't mean…"  
  
Vegeta wanted to laugh and rub it in but his stomach felt much too horrible. He didn't trust himself, and instead crawled back over to lay down with her. "All right." He snapped, knowing full well that she was grinning. "You win." 


	33. Chapter Thirty Three: I knew it

Chapter Thirty-Three: I knew it  
  
Authors Notes: I'm really slacking in updates, I know. I hope all of you are still enjoying this fic, remember, I -will- finish it!  
  
I also hope you all check out 'The Never Resolutions' even if you don't until 'Time enough to be with you' is finished, I just hope you read it. I'm really happy with how it's coming along.  
  
Hey, I have a favor to ask anyone: would anybody else (besides Elieen^^) be interested in doing some fanart for this fic? I'd really like some to put up on my fanart section of my rather bare homepage ^_^ Of course, you'd get full credit. Thanks anyway.  
  
Enjoy the chap! (Grins evilly) I think most of you have been waiting for this.  
  
Vegeta wanted to smile as he watched his soon-to-be mate stepping gingerly into the water, but thoughts were suddenly on that of his past. He found himself thinking of his father and what he would have said to his disgrace of a son. Vegeta frowned and stayed in the shadow of the bushes when Bulma turned at a sudden noise. He was free, now. Frieza was dead; his father was dead.but were his ideals?  
  
It seemed.  
  
The Sayajin's nightmare of a stomachache was miraculously gone upon his awakening. Now, Vegeta felt refreshed and rejuvenated. Although his body felt renewed and full of spirit, his mind was straying into areas long ago treaded upon. Places that usually got him in trouble.  
  
He sighed and watched, amused, as Bulma finally made it up to her knees and then took a dive for the worst. She slipped and splashed ungracefully into the lukewarm pond water, sputtering as she surfaced, trying to dislodge weeds from her hair. She was such an idiot, he truly thought he was going insane for having such feelings for her.  
  
But he could not ignore the Sayajin lust that he was feeling as of this morning. Of course, Bulma had been wearing a second pair of clothes under the first, and -of course- they had to be the smallest, tightest things she could find. If Vegeta still had a tail, he knew he would be lashing it around behind him agitatedly. He wanted this female more than he had ever wanted anything in his entire life. But he could not simply take her and force her to the ground; such was not the way of humans. He snorted, his eyes darting to catch glances of her ivory flesh. Who was he to obey such stupid customs? Why shouldn't he simply have her, as royalty should? He was a Prince first and foremost. It seemed he was beginning to forget that.  
  
The woman was making him a better person.  
  
Bulma, meanwhile, was having thoughts of her own. She had no way of knowing that the Prince watched her as she splashed around in the murky water. Her thoughts were entirely on him.  
  
What kind of future did she and the Sayajin have? Or could they even call it a 'future'? She doubted that very much. Vegeta was not the kind of man who enjoyed cuddling and long, deep conversations. Anyone could guess as much from looking at him. But then, as far as she had known, Vegeta didn't enjoy anything. Except for killing innocents and making fun of Goku. And yet, she found herself wondering if she too had a mysterious power as well. For she had to possess -something- miraculous to make someone like Vegeta smile occasionally and admit his affection for her. She sighed, knowing full well she would never understand whatever it was she and the Prince had. Perhaps that was for the better.  
  
Vegeta glared at her delicious backside as she bent at the waist and splashed water onto her face and chest. There was something about her that killed his nearly uncontrollable desire to simply have her.perhaps it was that her body was so small and fragile. He remembered the Sayajin women on Vegetasei. Hard, battle-toned bodies of muscle nearly as developed as his own, with some of the more 'desirable' mates having little to no female qualities. Having grown up seeing nothing other than these 'manly' women, Vegeta remembered the shock of seeing Earthling females. Small, petite bodies with soft, clean hair. Clean. He remembered that all to well. The smell that drifted from their skin as they gracefully glided past was of things still alien to him, not of blood and gore as the female Sayajin's reeked. Things that Bulma had had to introduce to the curious Sayajin Prince. She called them; soap, perfume, and body oils. Vegeta had no idea what the three strange smells were, but he knew one thing.they drove his sensitive nostrils wild, and of course, Bulma was a huge fan of all three.  
  
He watched her body and marveled at the way it moved. So unlike his own in its structure that one truly had to contain their laughter. Bulma was completely useless when it came to fighting, although in the verbal sense she was nearly a match for himself. Yet, her body did not come without marvels of its own. She possessed the most beautiful skin Vegeta had ever seen, and it confused him, as hardly any hair covered it, and on the briefest of occasions when he had touched her, it was unbelievably soft. What was it about these human females that was so strange? So weak were they where physical strength was concerned, but to be able to drive the Sayajin Prince himself wild with the mere vision of their bodies? To break like a twig, and to have such a sexually powerful presence at the same time. He did not understand, but he knew it made him nervous.  
  
So perhaps it was a fear. A fear for having her as a Sayajin would. Vegeta remembered well some of the 'pick of the litter' females he had taken to his bed on Vegetasei, and none of them had complained or cried out in pain at his terribly violent and savage thrusts, as their bodies had been built to withstand such extremities. Sayajin sex, Vegeta knew, was -nothing- at all like Human sex. Of course, research had to be done into this strangely new and gentle form of coupling. Some of the movies Vegeta had discovered in Bulma's room had shown him exactly what Human sex was like, and now, he felt the butterfly of nervousness begin to flutter in his chest. How was one with a body and an.instrument.such as he supposed to mate with a girl who looked like she would snap like a piece of dry kindling? The thought was mind-boggling. Did he even -know- how to be 'gentle'? Vegeta found himself growing angrier and more troubled by the second. Could this turn out to be a disaster?  
  
"Hey!"  
  
Vegeta jumped high enough to be permanently labeled as paranoid. Bulma stood in front of him, dripping wet and smiling. Apparently, he had been in such deep thought that even his highly toned senses hadn't been able to anticipate her arrival. He felt himself flushing. How pathetic on his part.  
  
She gestured with her hand. "It looks like you're feeling better." She smiled. "I'm glad, I'm definitely ready to get out of here and keep looking for Spider and Ghost, I'm really worried about them." she paused and looked at him suspiciously. "Hey.just what are you doing over here anyway? Are you -spying- on me?"  
  
He glared. "Of course not. Why would I want to spy on an ugly thing like you?"  
  
Bulma rolled her eyes, but surprisingly, didn't jump into a usual verbal rage. Vegeta panicked inwardly. Could it be that some mysterious female sensory device could detect that he was in fact lying, and meant the exact opposite of what he had said?  
  
Bulma leaned in closer to him, and Vegeta's nostrils were flooded with her sudden scent of arousal. He blinked and stared into her face, wondering what she was getting at. By the look on her face, he could tell it didn't involve a cozy fire and 'Scrabble'.  
  
Suddenly, her fingers were on his chest. She was tracing the lines of his armor, and although he couldn't feel the touch through the platting, his pulse still jumped accordingly.  
  
"Vegeta.do you remember your promise you made to me the other day.?" she shifted and moved close enough to him that their bodies were touching. The warm pond water soaked instantly through his pants and sent a shiver up his spine.  
  
He nodded, saying nothing. This was it, and everything was perfect. She was asking him to make love to her. His stomach felt fine, they were in no -terrible- hurry, and from what he could tell from her scent, she was not going through her menstrual cycle.  
  
Bulma's fingers dropped dangerously close to the waistline of his tight fitting black pants, and Vegeta felt himself growing hard at the contact. Soft, gentle fingers lightly dragged across the sudden bulge protruding from his pants and she gripped him experimentally, delighting in his strangled moan. She lifted her head, and instead of the flirtatious grin Vegeta had expected to see, he saw instead a sudden nervousness. Her cheeks were flushed and her thick lashes, dripping with water, were lowered over her eyes, which stared at their feet. Vegeta finally snapped out of his trance and pulled her against him, hearing the loud and pleasurable sighs coming from both of them.  
  
"I want you, Vegeta." Bulma finally said, and her words escaped her parted lips in a breathy whisper. "I know it sounds cliché, but I want you. I've wanted you since the day we came here.I just didn't know it."  
  
Vegeta's trademark smirk finally found its way onto his face, and it teased Bulma, making her think of things yet to come. It was a sensual smirk full of erotic promise, but beneath was the carefully hidden fear that he would hurt this woman he had come to adore.  
  
"Bulma," Vegeta lifted her chin with his thumb and forced her to look at him. "Are you sure you're all right? I mean, I don't want to do this if you."  
  
"Am -I- all right?" she giggled, and it made the heat in his crotch intensify, "You're the one who was suffering from a violent stomachache just last night." She put her arms around him and bit his ear lightly, sending a violent shudder through his body. "Just shut up." She whispered. "And have me."  
  
She was not as strong as the Sayajin females Vegeta had had in the past, nor was she as brave or intimidating. But she should have been terrified of him, and yet she took his gloved hand in her own, the very hand that had slaughtered thousands, and led him from the bushes. Here was this tiny, fragile bundle of ready-to-break glass, offering herself fully to him, begging him silently to accept the feelings he knew he had for her. Her eyes stared into his soul and looked at him for the first time as somebody who had a heart, but only hid it beneath layers of bitter contempt and self- failure.  
  
It was in that moment that he realized this was more than simple lust, and he acted on it.  
  
Bulma's fear proved to be as strange as his own. Wanting each other so badly, but afraid of hurting one another. For so many years Vegeta had lived to hurt others, and now he enfolded the small, trembling woman in arms powerful enough to bend iron with the gentleness of a mother holding a newborn. He buried his face in her neck and inhaled deeply the smell of her mounting desire. It permeated the very air around them, and he wanted nothing more than to tear all of her clothing off and take her as his lust screamed at him to.  
  
Yet this was not Sayajin sex, as this was no female Sayajin. Vegeta smirked down at her, knowing he had to do this slowly and carefully. There could be no mistakes. He had already violated the first act of the Sayajin mating ritual, the hunt. Yet so powerful were the emotions coursing through his once unfeeling and cold body, that Vegeta realized, insanely, that he simply didn't -care- if he had violated a sacred act. He wanted only to take her, to devour her, to take her glorious flesh in his teeth and make her his for forever and a day.  
  
Her tiny, wandering hands were everywhere at once. Bulma moaned as she grabbed the two perfectly rounded cheeks of flesh in her palms and squeezed. Vegeta's response was an immediate thrust against her crotch, and Bulma cried out, telling him in her own way what she liked.  
  
Vegeta grunted as he licked her neck, feeling her squirm against him. She had cried out against his experimental thrust, but not in the manner he had feared. It was a cry of absolute want and pleasure. When he felt her hands on the small of his back, urging him harder upon her, Vegeta felt confused. Was he not crushing her? He moved to look into her face, but Bulma surprised him with a whisper in his ear, as though suspecting exactly what it was he feared.  
  
"Vegeta, I'm not made of glass. I'm not going to break if you happen to want to be a little rough with me."  
  
The words released a flood of passion within the Prince, and Bulma was suddenly caught up in it without warning.  
  
It was all she could do to hang on while he assaulted her with unbridled lust. His burning mouth was everywhere at once, dragging his tongue across her neck, her lips, and her collarbone. A searing trail of nipping kisses that usually included some, if not all, of his teeth. Bulma responded by dragging her nails down his back, loving his shivers, and finding that she was enjoying the Sayajin's nibbles. She felt his sensual, pouting lips pause on her neck, as if transfixed by their pulse and what it symbolized. Bulma froze, knowing this was a murderer she was allowing to do these things to her, and she tensed, knowing Vegeta could kill her in an instants second if he so chose to do. But the heart wrenchingly gentle kiss that he applied softly to her pounding vein carried all her doubts away on the wind, and she wrapped both legs around him with a cry of need.  
  
Bulma cried out in disappointment when Vegeta drew back from her, only to smile again when she realized he was finally getting to the task of undressing her. His hands lingered on her skin when he slid her wet shorts off of her. Vegeta removed his own clothing and she moaned at the sight of his engorged manhood. He was much larger than Yaumcha was. Vegeta seemed pleased enough with her look of approval; then, he suddenly took both her ankles in his hands and spread her legs slowly. Bulma's face heated instantly, and she turned her head to the side, shying away from his sudden erotic act. She could not deny the heat in her thighs, however, and she moaned softly as though to signal that she did indeed want him to do it.  
  
Vegeta smirked; his head was spinning at the intoxicating scent that was coming from the dark 'v' of hair between her thighs. He shifted until he was lying on his stomach looking up toward her, past her heaving breasts, at her flushed face.  
  
And then, without warning, Bulma felt the Prince's searing tongue between her soft folds. She gasped and grabbed at the thick hair of his head, pressing him against her, digging her heels into the sand. Vegeta's tongue ruthlessly discovered the tiny nub of flesh beneath the hood of flesh and attacked it, suckling on it with slow, pulling kisses, while his fingers gently found their way into her. It was nearly more than Bulma could take, and she only thrashed about and clung to him, pressing her thighs against his head, as her climax hit. The satisfied Prince rose from between her legs, and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Bulma blushed and stared back at him, her skin quivering from his ministrations.  
  
Vegeta climbed up toward her, his mouth finding her breasts, her belly button, and her hips.whatever it could. Bulma took his head and pressed it to her chest as Vegeta gently pressed the tip of his manhood against her, preparing to enter her. Vegeta stared down into Bulma's wide, blue eyes that seemed to offer the World if he'd only ask, and felt a surge of emotion he had never felt before.  
  
Without breaking his gaze he entered her, temporarily forgetting that he was a bloodthirsty Prince intent on savagery, forgetting that he was bound to a cold shell without feelings. Bulma wrapped her arms and legs around him and let her head fall back. They thrashed about in the sand, moaning and crying out and needing each other more than they wanted to admit. Vegeta's thrusts intensified and still he held her eyes with his own, never breaking the contact. Bulma's body sang with the sensation building in her thighs, and she blanked out, concentrating solely on the area where their pelvises connected. Her fingers dug trenches across his back and she screamed, pressing her face into the sweat soaked rivers of Vegeta's neck.  
  
Vegeta slammed into Bulma once more, feeling her climax hitting and his own following closely after. Together they thrashed and moaned and scratched, abandoning all thoughts of making their act of lovemaking gentle and romantic, concentrating only on the intense pleasure tearing through every inch of their defenseless bodies with ruthless exploitation. Vegeta leaned down over Bulma, sinking his teeth gently but firmly into her neck. She cried out, too absorbed in her own pleasure to understand what the gesture truly signified, and clawed at him with her curious fear. Vegeta felt the tiniest river of blood dribble into his mouth, and he drank for the first time in love, gripping tightly with his desperate need of her and everything she could give him.  
  
It was over much too quickly, and the two exhausted lovers collapsed back onto the soft sand of the beach. Vegeta rolled onto his side, keeping himself expertly inside Bulma, and pulled her tightly against him. They lay there for a time, breathing heavily, their sweat-slicked bodies rubbing against each other's with each breath. Bulma gave a satisfied sigh and snuggled into Vegeta's chest, completely ignoring (or forgetting?) the bite mark on her neck. Vegeta rested his face in her soft hair and listened to the sounds of the forest around them. He thought of what they had done, and a slow smile spread on his face. Bulma was his mate. Now and forever.  
  
It was only moments before they were both asleep. 


	34. Chapter Thirty Four: Closer

Chapter Thirty Four: Closer  
  
Authors Notes: I hope you all enjoyed the Lemon. This time, I tried to go for a more 'emotionally explicit' Lemon rather than just the physical. Anyway, enjoy the chapter.  
  
Back on the Capsule Corp ship, the nine Roctorns were struggling with the fact that they were obviously not allowed to destroy the ship again. When their owners had returned, they had suffered much verbal abuse, and didn't want to go through with it again.  
  
However, Bulma and Vegeta had not said anything about eating the food from the well-stocked pantry, of which there was plenty.  
  
Another thing the nine 'not so infant' Roctorns were finding interesting was the sudden and quite rapid change in their bodies. Only moments ago they had been the size of large dog's, but now, somehow, they found themselves as large as Tigers. This was clearly confusing for the Roctorn's, but inside, it was all explained as simple instinct; a coding in their DNA that told them this was all very normal.  
  
So, like any normal rampaging monstrosity, they decided to use it to their advantage for the hard to reach food.  
  
Bulma stared into the water at the edge of the pond, far from where the still sleeping Vegeta lay on his back in the sand. She had managed to squirm out of his embrace, feeling quite embarrassed and ashamed of herself. Just what had happened last night? She hardly remembered anything, except for the fact that she had experienced the most emotionally and physically satisfying sex she had ever had in her life. Now, she was left with the knowledge that she had done what she had wanted to do with Vegeta since day one.  
  
Bulma kneeled down at the waters edge and looked at her reflection. The very definite bite mark on her neck was very prominent. Ugly red dots covered her once clear flesh. She touched it gently with her fingers, running them over the already healing bumps. She wasn't sure how to feel about them. It left her unsettled, yet.  
  
Vegeta.  
  
Of all people, it had been Vegeta who she had experienced these feelings with. She had never felt so touched in all her life, never so loved. Even with Yaumcha, when he had been so terribly romantic with his candlelight, silk sheets and roses. Here, on this barren, ugly Planet so far from home, she had felt alive and loved for the first time in her. It overwhelmed her.  
  
She spun around when she heard footsteps, and saw Vegeta standing beside her, wearing only his pants. His hair was disgruntled, even more so than usual and wet clumps of sand stuck to different areas of his body. She could not deny that he looked incredibly sexy. She flushed and looked back at her reflection.  
  
"What are you doing, way over here?"  
  
Bulma blinked, confused, when she heard the unmistakable hurt in the Prince's voice. Was he offended that she had chosen to come here, by herself, rather than wake up beside him? Without knowing it, her fingers came up and gently touched the bite marks. She shook her head dumbly. What was there to say?  
  
"I."  
  
Then, suddenly, he was sitting beside her, not close enough to be affectionate, but not far enough to be cold. He looked out over the pond with steady eyes, and she followed his gaze, looking out across the murky water toward the lush trees and small shapes darting among them. She realized she was holding her breath.  
  
"Bulma-san," Vegeta started, and she looked up hopefully, praying that he would say something perfect that would magically solve everything. "You and I are mates, now."  
  
She watched him. His guard was up, as usual, but a large piece of his barrier had somehow crumbled, letting her see glimpses of his secrets she had not been allowed before. She took a shaky breath and smiled to herself. It was so unbelievably crazy, and she loved it. Mates? She didn't know exactly what that meant, but she knew it to be something along the lines of 'partners' in the more intimate sense. Yaumcha didn't even cross her mind, and he hadn't for a long while. Still smiling, she looked up into Vegeta's face, into eyes that were begging her in their own dark way to accept him for who he was, but asking in a very carefully disguised manner. She gently closed her hand over his own, and saw the almost imperceptible release of breath escape his body. He seemed to relax, and in this she realized her power over him. Should she abuse it, this new and wonderful thing could be ruined.  
  
She didn't want that.  
  
She leaned against him, wanting the same warmth he had given her last night, wanting for the first time in her life to be genuinely held. She wanted to be embraced in love, not because it was expected.  
  
She leaned over and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "Thank you, Vegeta."  
  
"For what?" he asked after a moment.  
  
"For loving me."  
  
"Hn," Vegeta shifted where he sat and a ghost of a frown crossed his handsome features, "Don't go all mushy on me, woman."  
  
Bulma just smiled. She could feel sleep coming on, and she felt so absolutely perfect. There was no desire inside her to argue with him; she simply wanted to enjoy this feeling while it lasted because tomorrow was a new day, and by then, who knows how Vegeta would act around her? It was like holding onto gossamer; like he would break and shatter before her eyes if she did anything to disrupt the newfound balance in her life. Bulma sighed pleasurably and felt herself falling asleep. She concentrated on the rhythmic breathing of Vegeta until she nodded off.  
  
Vegeta waited until he was sure she was asleep. Then, as carefully as he could, he leaned down and softly kissed the top of her head.  
  
"You're welcome." He whispered.  
  
Koru knocked once more on the Capsule Corp ship, wondering where on earth her friend Bulma was. She turned to Arden, who stood behind her, and he only shrugged in response.  
  
"Maybe they're.?" he paused, leaving the suggestion open. Koru blushed nonetheless.  
  
"They're not like that." She insisted, walking back down the steps and around the ship. Arden followed her close behind, casting looks about them. "Bulma said he's arrogant and annoying."  
  
Arden smiled. "Sssounds like a girl in love, that'sss for sssure."  
  
Koru turned to her friend and raised an armored eyebrow. "Oh really? And you'd be an expert?"  
  
Arden looked down at the red earth and blushed, trying to think of something to say. "I.I didn't sssay that, Koru." He said, rubbing the back of his head. "I wasss jussst trying to suggessst what they might be.doing."  
  
Koru regarded him a moment longer and smiled. "You're very adorable when you're blushing, you know that?" she said. Arden only blushed more. Koru laughed.  
  
"Well, I really can't think of where they would be." She paused. "Maybe they went somewhere.like." she bit her bottom lip in thought. There were not exactly very many places on R'haksin that were tourist friendly, much less desirable. She had only known her for a while now, but Koru could tell that Bulma was not the type to enjoy roughing it. She sighed impatiently.  
  
"You know, if they have gone somewhere, they've left all those Roctorn's inside, alone." She frowned. "Which, if you ask me, isn't the smartest thing to do."  
  
"That'sss right, the Roctornsss." Arden said. "What do you sssuppossse they're going to do with them once they leave?"  
  
Koru shrugged. "I don't know, but I know they can't take them with them." she walked back toward the ship, "That would be insanity."  
  
"I wonder," Arden said as he followed behind, "If they would allow me to take one in?"  
  
Koru shrugged, testing the door. It was unlocked. She shook her head, silently scolding Bulma for her carelessness. There were plenty of Storkrin's around who would love to trash the ship. "I don't know why not." She said. "They really are quite cute."  
  
Koru cried out as 832 pounds of adolescent Roctorn slammed into her, licking at her face, it's tails wagging furiously. Luckily for Koru, Arden was behind her to catch her as she stumbled backward. The Roctorn was overjoyed to see somebody, and sat on its haunches, staring up at them with its tongue hanging out of a grinning mouth.  
  
"You!" Koru abolished. "What -are- you doing in there?" she steadied herself and peered into the darkness of the ship. "Where's your owners, huh?"  
  
The Roctorn cocked its head, clearly confused. It whined, eager to have attention lavished on it. Koru was about to walk inside the ship when she noticed something. She bent closer to the Roctorn, peering curiously at it.  
  
"You know.there's something weird about these guys." she watched as the rest of the Roctorns clambered into the doorway, all wanting to see who was entering their territory. "They're."  
  
"Huge?" Arden cried. The Roctorn growled playfully at the Storkrin's outburst.  
  
"That's it." Koru said. "It must be their second growth spurt. Strifelon said they go through a number of growth spurts before they reach their final stage."  
  
"Which isss.?" Arden asked slowly.  
  
"Much, -much- bigger than this." Koru said with a grin. "I think they're terribly adorable, and I'd love it if they'd let us have." she trailed off and blushed, as if catching what she was saying. "I mean, if they let -you- have one.that's what I meant." she sputtered, knowing she sounded like a complete idiot.  
  
Arden smiled. "Koru.I alssso think it would be great if 'we' could have one."  
  
The Roctorn's whined and wagged their tails in rapt attention as the two Storkrin's embraced tenderly on their doorstep. It wasn't all that often that they got to see adult members of their society showing affection to one another, seeing as their 'dad' was a cold-hearted weirdo. It really wasn't fair.  
  
Bulma couldn't help but let out a tiny groan of disappointment when she saw the gleaming white roof of their ship. She loved flying with Vegeta. Before, she had always imagined it as a terrifying and ugly experience. Now.  
  
She smiled, feeling her cheeks heating. Everything was different now.  
  
"What's wrong, woman?" Vegeta asked as they touched down. Bulma slid easily out of his arms, noticing the way neither of them seemed too happy about it. "I like flying." She said happily. "I didn't before.but now." she looked at him. "It's fun."  
  
Vegeta crossed his arms and smirked. "That's quite a change. Before you acted like a complete sniveling wimp."  
  
Bulma nodded. "I know. I like it now, though. I guess I just didn't want it to end." She looked down at herself. "I -do- need a shower, though. It'll be nice to get in some clean water."  
  
Vegeta walked past her, and Bulma stole a quick peek at his firm behind. "I need one too. No sense wasting water." He looked over his shoulder and flashed her a sensual grin. "We'll shower together."  
  
"Will we?" Bulma raised an eyebrow. She caught up to him and together they walked side by side toward the ship. It was a nice enough day, she supposed. She still felt strange from she and Vegeta's lovemaking. Perhaps not strange about the lovemaking.more so the bite marks on her neck. She had tried her best to conceal them with her shirt, but the collar was too low. She remembered how insulted Vegeta had looked when she caught him watching her try to cover them up. Perhaps the bite marks symbolized more than she knew. She sighed; she wanted to know more about them. She wanted to know the reason they were there. It wasn't just some strange Sayajin thing.somehow she felt that.there was more to it than that.  
  
She gasped when she noticed the lights on in the ship.  
  
"Vegeta.!" she whispered, pointing to the lights, but the Prince's Ki was already flaring, and she recognized well the look of defense on his face. He pushed her roughly behind him with one muscled arm.  
  
"Who do you think.?" she began, but he motioned for her to be quiet. "Shut up and stay here. I'll go see."  
  
"Wait.!" Bulma started, but he was already on his way toward the ship. She looked to the side and jogged over to a cluster of boulders. There, she crouched down behind them and waited.  
  
A second later, after she saw the Prince's dark form vanish into the doorway, Bulma heard a short scream, a crash, growling noises, and the silence. Her heart hammered at the possibilities of what may lay in wait in the ship. Then, after a few seconds of suspenseful waiting, she saw Vegeta emerge with an annoyed frown on his face. He waved her over. Hesitantly, she emerged from behind the boulders and approached the ship. She was all too happy (and a bit surprised) to see Koru standing behind the Prince with a sheepish look on her face.  
  
"Koru?" she laughed, and then saw Arden appear behind her, looking equally as embarrassed. "Arden?"  
  
Koru hugged her friend quickly and then pulled way, eager to explain herself. "We're sorry, you guys. We came over to see you two, and when we saw you weren't here, we." she trailed off, smiling lopsidedly. "Vegeta here scared the life out of me."  
  
"Caught usss red-handed." Arden finished.  
  
Bulma smiled and waved the matter away with her hand. "That's all right. You two know -you're- always welcome here." She paused. "It's just that we don't trust anyone else, you know?"  
  
Koru and Arden nodded. "Anyway," Koru said as the four of them shut the door behind them and walked into the kitchen, "As you can see, the Roctorns are getting much, much bigger."  
  
Bulma gasped as the horde of them waggled their way into her arms. Her face was covered with a million slobbery kisses. "Oh, you guys!" she cried happily. "Look what you've done!"  
  
The damage wasn't that great, really. It could have been much worse. There was only about a quarter of the first pantry demolished, and cartons and packages lay in tatters on the floor. Bulma felt a pang of guilt for not feeding them before they left. "You poor guys were probably starving to death, weren't you?" she patted them and they growled happily. "I'm sorry."  
  
She turned to catch Vegeta's reaction and was surprised to see that he didn't look angry at all. In fact, the Prince looked all too enthralled with her. She blushed as she caught his look. He stood staring at her, his face a relaxed, sensual mask of affection. He wasn't even looking at the Roctorn's as they padded up to him. He stroked their soft fur, staring all the while at her. At last she shrugged it off as him being weird and stood. Koru and Arden seemed to catch the sudden mood change in the air and turned to Bulma.  
  
"We'll be going now." Koru smiled at her friend. "Again, we're sorry about breaking in. I'll see you tomorrow?"  
  
Bulma nodded. Her mind was on whatever Vegeta had in store for her. She silently prayed that they would leave as quickly as possible.  
  
Arden watched the two of them exchange another heat filled look. "Uh.yesss, we're sssorry. Goodnight."  
  
They let themselves out. The door shut behind them, leaving the two in the darkened ship alone, with only the noise of the panting Roctorn's filling the air.  
  
"Vegeta.?" Bulma ventured.  
  
"About that shower."  
  
Bulma cried out as she was grabbed around the middle and dragged down the hallway. 


	35. Chapter Thirty Five: Time Out

Chapter Thirty-Five: Time Out  
  
Authors Notes: Guy's, I'm -really- sorry about the late update. I just hope you're all still interested in the story (and that you haven't lost faith in me!). Like I have said many times before I WILL finish this ^_^ Meanwhile, my excuse is (again) writers block, and the fact that I've been working on my novel, which is much more important than this fic.sorry, but that's the truth!  
  
Bulma lay on her stomach, watching the Prince as he slept. His chest rose evenly, even with the weight of her body on him. She smiled. Such a funny thing it was that someone with such a tainted past could look so angelic when they slept. Truly, just another enigma about Vegeta that she knew made him irresistible.  
  
The twin bite marks on her neck were nearly gone. Absently she ran her fingers over them, still wondering at their true meaning. She was afraid to ask the Prince what the bite marks signified, thinking it might upset him, or even worse, offend him. But then, how was she supposed to know? She wasn't exactly an expert on the mating habits of full-blooded Sayajin's.  
  
Now, however, she had her very own patient to study on.  
  
She blushed at the thought and rose, regretfully, from the gentle embrace of her Prince, heading for the showers. She had not wanted to leave his warmth, but she had not wanted to wake him. Once they had arrived back at the ship to find Koru and Arden together, a sudden and unexpected pain had attacked Bulma. She sighed as she thought about it. The pain hadn't been terrible, but it -had- been enough to put her off of the idea of a sensual shower with Vegeta. They had ended up curling up together on the downstairs bed, falling asleep within moments. She supposed it was the next best thing.  
  
She massaged her scalp slowly with the remaining shampoo that her father had supplied Vegeta with. Obviously, her father didn't think the Prince cared too much about personal hygiene; there was only one bottle of shampoo and one bar of soap. Bulma went through two bottles a week, sometimes more. She did have an awful lot of hair, however.  
  
She thought of Spider and Ghost. She and Vegeta had meant to go looking for them, but one thing had led to another. She frowned at herself. Could she really had forsaken her friends for lust? It made her feel awful. She made a decision to go looking for them again, perhaps with Koru and Arden. She smiled at the thought. They really were an adorable couple.yet they seemed in denial somehow.  
  
Much like she and a certain Sayajin Prince.  
  
Bulma jumped as the shower curtain suddenly slid to the left to reveal Vegeta. She gasped in fright before realizing who it was. She covered her breasts with her free hand and clutched the bar of soap with the other. "Vegeta! You scared the hell out of me! Why do you have to do that?"  
  
He smirked, looking over her appraisingly. "Does it matter?" he shrugged, then narrowed his eyes suddenly. "Are you all right?"  
  
"Why wouldn't I be?" Bulma snapped, confused at his words and angered at his intrusion.  
  
He snorted, "Well, you weren't exactly feeling too well last night." He said. "I wondered if you still felt ill." He turned to leave. "That's the last time I'll give a shit about you."  
  
"No," Bulma grabbed him by the arm and hauled him back toward her, "Come in with me. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you."  
  
He watched her for a second before grumbling and pulling his shirt over his head. "Fine." He said, "How could I resist a naked woman's soapy offer?"  
  
Bulma smiled shyly as she pulled him in the shower with her. It wasn't the first time she had seen the man naked, but it was the first time she had had a shower with him. She watched the water pelt his tanned skin as he reached for the bar of soap in her hand.  
  
"What's on your mind." He didn't make it a question, more of a statement. She sighed, irritated that he could already know how she worked so well. Had something more than attraction happened between them?  
  
"Spider and Ghost." She admitted. "I.I feel awful for the way we." she trailed off, avoiding him. "It just makes me feel like a real dirt bag."  
  
"Why?" he smirked, and she hated herself for shivering under the expression. "Just because we had a night of intense animal sex instead of looking for them?"  
  
She slapped him, her hand sliding easily off his soapy chest. "Do you have to be such an ass about everything?"  
  
"I try." He replied. "If you're so worried, then we'll go looking for them after this."  
  
"I was thinking the same thing." She said. She was about to reach for the shampoo when a sudden commotion in the kitchen startled her.  
  
She froze. "What was that?"  
  
Vegeta's Ki flared to life instantly, startling her even further. "Don't do that!" she hissed, straining to listen.  
  
"Stay here." He ordered, stepping out of the shower. He didn't bother to throw a towel around his waist, but simply stalked out of the bathroom toward the kitchen. Bulma leaned against the shower stall, waiting, the water smoothing her hair over her eyes. She brushed it aside and snorted. It must be nice to be so confident. Telling him to be careful would have been useless.  
  
Seconds later she heard another bang, a curse from Vegeta, and silence. She strained her ears even further. What the hell was happening out there?  
  
Bulma was about to go investigate for herself when a large brown nose poked itself through the shower curtain. She shrieked and doubled backward, trying desperately to get out of the way of the strange beast. Only when it poked its entire head through did she realize that it was Spider.  
  
"Spider!" She cried, trying to still her beating heart. "You came back!"  
  
Spider smiled his lopsided doggy/cat smile at her, though only halfheartedly. Bulma kneeled down while the water pelted her back. She frowned. Something was wrong.where was Ghost? Spider should have been leaping around and growling and wagging his tails, such was his usual behavior. She reached out and scratched his ears. "Are you ok, boy?" she asked softly.  
  
Vegeta walked in seconds later with Ghost in his arms. Bulma stood and gratefully took the Ceribulum from him. "Ghost!" she said happily. "You're ok!" Ghost chirped and nuzzled against her neck, the water smoothing down his fur and making him appear very small. Bulma turned and shut the water off. She stepped out, Ghost still in her arms, and Vegeta wrapped a towel around her shoulders. She smiled thankfully at him.  
  
"Where were you two, huh?" she held Ghost at arms length, inspecting him. They both seemed free of injury. "We were so worried!" Vegeta was kneeling beside Spider, inspecting his body.  
  
"He's not entirely all right, woman." He said after a moment. "His injuries were still too fresh. They hadn't had time to heal properly." He stood. "I guess he was just too concerned about finding Ghost."  
  
Spider wagged his tails happily, but looked tired enough to collapse. "Come on." Vegeta clicked his tongue and Spider followed him obediently.  
  
"Good boy." Bulma said warmly as he passed by her legs.  
  
Time was passing quickly on R'haksin, prolonged by Bulma's sickness, which, Vegeta noted with dismay, was finally beginning to hit it's peak. They had two weeks left, which meant fourteen days before the Psytrim would finally burst free of it's hold and (hopefully) be the one to take Bulma's pain away. So much had happened in the last two weeks, so much pain and excitement and development. And yet, it seemed to have happened so slowly. Fortricres continued to advance like an ever-threatening raincloud, ready to burst and pour its toxins upon Bulma.  
  
It did not come in violent spasms or bouts of fever, as it had before, but was now a different sort sickness. She seemed older; somehow, walking about the ship with a slowness that gave doubt to every adventure she had ever been on. So full of life, she was, that Vegeta often found himself being unable to watch. She would sigh upon sitting down, and groan and complain about her backpain and constant weariness, as though she was a woman of seventy years.  
  
And.another strange thing was happening.  
  
Bulma had begun to spend long hours in the basement of the ship, tinkering and puttering around with assorted scraps of metal and machinery that her father had left behind during the building of the ship. Vegeta couldn't possibly imagine what she could be doing, and every time he had asked her, Bulma had written it off a simple 'mechanical playtime'.  
  
Vegeta didn't know what the hell 'mechanical playtime' was, but with a mind like Bulma's, he knew it was much more than she was letting on.  
  
Bulma had just gotten out of the shower, and now she stood looking at her reflection in the mirror. She had been mulling over the last week's events, and was about to go and pay a visit to Strifelon and Koru and Arden, when she was struck with another sharp pain in her abdomen. For so long, the Forae and the other nasty symptoms had seemed to elude her, but now, it was sneaking up upon her once more, with a forgotten fierceness, and a renewed intensity. She leaned against the counter with one hand and popped her small pink birth control pill out of its package. The last thing she needed, she thought, as she pushed it between her clenched lips, was to become pregnant. Now that she and Vegeta were sleeping together regularly, she was ashamed to admit that she had begun to get careless. She wondered what would happen to a baby whose mother was infected with such a strange disease. She had the mind to know it would not be pleasant, and she swallowed the small pill, shutting the rest of the package away in the cabinet.  
  
Vegeta was waiting outside the bathroom for her. She smiled wearily when she saw him; the pain in her stomach had not gone away.  
  
He grunted a greeting to her and pushed past her into the bathroom. She continued walking into the kitchen, where she began to fix herself an Alka- Seltzer drink and a buttered piece of toast. She dared not try anything else; she was beginning to feel light-headed.  
  
When Vegeta returned Bulma expected him to ignore her and continue with his own errands, but instead he sat down at the table with her, propping his feet up across from her. His countenance was far from happy, but it was not angry, and in his deeply set frown she took note of something she had not yet seen from the man.  
  
The toast popped, startling her from her thoughts before she could get a hold of them, and she stood and began buttering it. She took tiny nibbles from it, while Vegeta watched her. She still could not quite grasp what it was that was strange about him today. She swallowed, and frowned.  
  
"Is something wrong?" she asked, for lack of anything better to say.  
  
Vegeta shook his head. "Do you feel well this morning?"  
  
Bulma sighed and shook her head. The toast was doing no good for her. She placed it down on the counter, and sipped at the bubbling concoction.  
  
"No. My stomach is getting to me again." She said, raising the glass. "Which is why I'm drinking this."  
  
"Well." he stood, and she sensed that she was about to discover the origin of his strangeness. "I was thinking."  
  
She put down the drink and dabbed at imaginary crumbs on her lips with a napkin. "Yes?" she said hopefully.  
  
He seemed to be struggling. Bulma could not help but smile a tiny smile as he rubbed his neck and cast his eyes downward (if only for a fleeting moment). Bulma approached him and put her hands on his hips, loosely, looking up into eyes that were trying desperately to avoid her own.  
  
"We do not have much time left, here," he paused, "And there are some very.beautiful.rivers that I would like to show you."  
  
Bulma's eyes lit up, and her genuine smile seemed to set Vegeta at ease. She felt his muscles relax as she threw herself into his arms and hugged him for all her trembling arms would allow.  
  
"I thought," he said, his hands coming slowly around her, "That Koru and that wimp of a boyfriend could come, as well." he said. She felt him gently lay his lips in her hair, inhaling her shampoo.  
  
"Vegeta, why?" she asked when she pulled away. "Why are you being so nice to me all of a sudden?"  
  
"You." Vegeta said, awkwardly, "You deserve it."  
  
Bulma smiled and thought to herself that yes, she deserved a day of fun and peace, but that she did not deserve the affections of this man, for it took a good person, indeed, to be able to conquer such pride and ignorance in the name of love. 


	36. Chapter Thirty Six: Souls in Sensory Ple...

Chapter Thirty Six: Souls in Sensory Pleasure  
  
  
  
Authors Notes: Well, how's that for a quick update? I feel really bad about making you guys wait like, two months, so here's another (yes, it's another filler) chapter. It's cute though, so enjoy! ^_^  
  
  
  
It was raining.  
  
The rain had been coming for days, in relentless turrets that now pelted upon the mighty foundation that was the Capsule Corporation household. The sky was black enough, and the rain fierce enough, that many of Bulma's family and friends believed that something terrible had happened.  
  
Yaumcha had been out of the hospital for some time, now. The scars on his wrist were white and cruel, jagged like the paths of lightning against his smooth, tanned skin. He was a foolish man now, who sat on the fine white upholstery in the living room, humbled by his ultimate stupidity; a mistake that would just have easily been undone. Pastries were aligned, orderly, with the same fastidiousness that Mrs. Briefs arranged everything. They seemed a morbid bunch, dripping their once cheerful icings onto the silver tray they sat upon. None had been touched. It was, after all, not the time for sweets.  
  
Mrs. Briefs had too polished an upbringing to see this. Be it that her daughter and a (strangely) close friend were in space, on a dangerous mission, her daughter wasting away, a guest still called for treats and spoils. It had been far too long now. She had no idea as to what was going on, nor did anyone else. Her husband had told her, with the hesitant, soft tones that one uses when trying to lightly bear bad news, that the radio contact must have broken, and that everything was probably all right.  
  
A delay, that was all.  
  
It seemed all the cheer had evaporated from the household, leaving only cold memories behind, and endless rain. Mrs. Briefs wondered if her daughter was still alive. She wondered what they were doing, where they were, and if they had discovered something that made them happier than being here, on Earth.  
  
Such a strange thing that the very things her daughter had spent so many years of her life searching for, could not undo her own slow demise.  
  
If such was the case, and it was, then Mrs. Briefs decided, firmly and without doubt, that life was most decidedly unfair.  
  
Bulma hummed to the tune of Natalie Imbruglia's 'Beauty on the Fire' while she stood before the great winding trail of the 'Albu', R'haksin's largest and deepest river. It was, to say the least, a beautiful day. The last of her stomach pains were gone, leaving only a deep ache that lay in her bones. The absolute joy of the day and the beauty of the river replaced it, though. She smiled as she stood ankle deep and let the startlingly freezing water wash over her bare feet.  
  
Strifelon, Arden, Koru, Vegeta, Ghost, and Spider all stood a few feet away, tending to their own business, gazing at their own scenery. Koru was unpacking a picnic basket, taking no measures to hide her very obvious desire to eat everything in sight. Bulma smiled as she watched her. She deserved every morsel in the basket, after all. She inhaled deeply the thick, humid air and lifted her face to the sky.  
  
She would miss Koru.  
  
Strifelon was muttering about something or other, while Spider seemed to have very rapidly recovered from his injuries and was chasing a frantically chirping Ghost around the legs of Vegeta and Arden, who were engaged in currently trying to sort out a traditional Storkrin game that was, as Bulma had been told on the way, a very fun game to play on picnics. She couldn't imagine how their race could have enjoyed such games while knowing so many lay beneath the earth, trapped and dying. She tried to push the thought out of her head. After all, Arden and Strifelon had not been one of them.  
  
Ghost finally made his way over to her and clambered up into her arms, finding his sanctuary at last. Bulma couldn't help but laugh as the lumbering Roctorn skidded to a panting halt at her feet and growled playfully up at the quivering ball of fur.  
  
"You leave Ghost alone." She giggled, as the Ceribulum made its way into her hair. She marveled at how large Spider was becoming. The wounds on his sides were still mending, but he seemed to have miraculously developed a sudden immunity to the stretch and tear of playtime. As in answer to her question, Strifelon came up behind her.  
  
"Magic, my dear." He said, his voice gravelly and rough. He rested one callused, clawed hand upon her shoulder, while leaning with the rest of his weight on his staff.  
  
"Magic, huh?" she said, the corners of her mouth curling up. "I don't think so, bub."  
  
Strifelon's wrinkled face pulled itself into an impish grin. "And I sssuppossse you have another theory?"  
  
"All right then, keep your secrets." She said with a grin. "It's more fun that way, anyhow."  
  
"Vegeta told me your ssstomach felt ill earlier thisss morning." Strifelon said with a much more gentle tone. "Well," he rubbed her shoulder with his wrinkled hand, reassuringly, "Do not worry. The Psssytrim growsss. Ssshe will sssoon take the pain away."  
  
Bulma forced a smile for her friend's kind words. "I hope so, Strifelon."  
  
An hour or so later, they all sat down to lunch. The air was cooling and had adopted a much more breezy temperature, though it was by no means cold. Strifelon had taken the liberty of packing one of his fine, elaborate rugs as a picnic blanket. It was large enough to seat all of them, and surprisingly, even Vegeta. Bulma had been sure that he would have gone off by himself by now, bored by the festive laughter and absolute coziness of the situation. But he had instead seated himself on the blanket, right next to her, and had even laid a hand upon her own. At this she could not hide her huge grin.  
  
The food was a mixture of human food and Storkrin food. Unfortunately, the same brown, bubbling mess with eyeballs was on the menu, which Arden and Strifelon attacked with abandonment, but Bulma politely declined. It was a smorgasbord for Koru, who had not tasted enough of the human delights that she was so fond of. Cheese, however, was still her favorite, although she could not persuade Arden to try some, even after using her best sad puppy face on him.  
  
Vegeta ate quietly, his talk held to a minimum. Bulma leaned across the blanket and handed Koru a slice of watermelon, one of Bulma's personal favorites.  
  
"What's this?" Koru asked as she took it in her large, clawed hands.  
  
"It's something all picnics should not be without." Bulma said with a smile. "Its called watermelon. Try it."  
  
After much slurping and giggling, Koru looked up, wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, and said; "Now I know why they call it 'water'melon!"  
  
Arden stood up. "Time for Jubak." He announced.  
  
"Jubak?" Bulma asked cautiously. She realized her stomach no longer hurt.  
  
"Jubak isss a fine Ssstorkin game." Strifelon said as he rose with a groan and a hand on his lower back. "Although methinksss my body will not be up for it today."  
  
Arden elbowed the elder gently. "Oh, come on." He said good-naturedly.  
  
Jubak turned out to be a slightly more complicated version of what Bulma knew to be European Handball. It came complete with its own set of rules and equipment. Bulma and Vegeta got Strifelon as an extra player, which Bulma protested to be unfair, but quickly realized why. Storkrin's moved with incredible speed and agility. Of course, having Vegeta on her team was enough to win hands down. After the fifth goal in a row, Arden and Koru began to complain. Bulma stopped, the strange, almost triangular ball in her hand, and called a time-out.  
  
"I think I have a solution to the problem." She announced, wiping sweat from her brow.  
  
Vegeta put his hands on his hips. He was not breathing hard, nor had he broken a sweat. It made Bulma envious.  
  
"Vegeta will be a one-man team." She said smugly. "You can handle that, can't you, Prince?"  
  
Vegeta narrowed his eyes at the direct challenge. "Of course I can, woman." He smirked. "The question is, can -you- handle it?"  
  
Bulma's only response was to stick out her tongue.  
  
"Continue!" Arden called, and Jubak continued.  
  
This time, the odds -should- have been in Bulma's team's favor, but she knew it was doomed from the start. Playing anything that requires speed is useless against a Sayajin. Vegeta would simply teleport, snatch the ball, and score a simple goal, following shortly after with a smug round of arrogant smirks directed at Bulma. She growled and shot him her most evil glare, determined that she would score a goal for their side.  
  
It was during the last stretch that she made her move. She saw an opening and went for it.  
  
Of course, it was thwarted by the Prince, who caught her as she leapt through the air and made her nifty backhanded catch. She squeaked as she was pulled from the air like so many kite strings and hauled into the arms of the smirking Prince.  
  
"Thought you'd pull one over me, didn't you, woman? You must feel -awfully- proud of yourself to have come this close."  
  
"VEGETA!" she shrieked, pounding on his back. "So help me.!"  
  
Arden and the others watched, laughing, as the screaming human girl was tossed over the Prince's shoulder like a sack of potatoes and carried to the river. The Prince hovered out over the water, where he promptly took Bulma into his arms and held her to him, whispered something (with another smirk) and abruptly dropped her into the blue, frigid water.  
  
"Well," Koru said as Bulma's enraged head surfaced and she grabbed the Prince by the ankle, "I guess the game is over."  
  
"Oh isss it?" Arden asked curiously, his face suddenly an impish grin.  
  
Koru looked at him slowly. "Oh.no, you don't!"  
  
She tried to run, but it was really quite useless.  
  
The mid-afternoon day was filled with more than enough giggling and screaming than any self-respecting Storkrin could handle, so Strifelon seated himself on the rug and helped himself to the remainder of the picnic basket. Ghost and Spider padded up to him and joined him as he watched the rather hilarious displays in the Albu.  
  
"You know," he said as he munched on what Bulma had claimed to be 'Jell-O' "Thossse ownersss of yoursss are misssing a couple of ssscrewsss upssstairsss. Bessst keep an eye on them, hmm?"  
  
Ghost and Spider had no idea what the old man was talking about, but they offered feedback.  
  
"I knew you'd agree with me." Strifelon said, and then he lay back on the rug and closed his eyes, for the sun was hot and his bones were old.  
  
It had been a good day.  
  
"Are you angry with me, woman?"  
  
Bulma jumped at the sensation of a cold little nose rubbing itself into her neck. She sighed, and turned to find herself in the arms of Vegeta. They were standing at the edge of the Albu. Everyone else had returned home hours ago, but Bulma had not been ready to leave. It was too beautiful, and the evening sun (could it even be called a sun?) was slowly slipping behind the craggy, jagged redness of the R'haksin mountains.  
  
That was the strange thing about R'haksin that Bulma had learned. It was very unlike Earth temperature wise. In the midday it was only slightly warm, even a bit chilly, but once the evening hit the temperatures heated up considerably, so that one could even complain that it was too hot. They both ankle deep, Vegeta with his hands loosely at her back, hers on his chest. He had long since removed his shirt and stood in his form fitting black pants. She had taken the liberty of packing one of her bathing suits, and now stood in her bikini top and shorts.  
  
"No." she said with a little pout. "Why should I be? It's not like you dunked me in freezing cold water."  
  
Vegeta smirked. "You were asking for it."  
  
She shrugged. "Maybe. But I'll get you for it."  
  
"You think you can catch me off guard?" Vegeta snorted. "I don't think so."  
  
She grinned at him. "Well." she said, dropping her voice to a low, sultry tone, "I don't know.maybe if I." she lifted her leg and rubbed her pelvis against his own.  
  
Vegeta smirked. The little minx. But could not deny that it felt incredible. Ever since that day in the forest, he had not made love to her again. They had been sleeping together, of course, and not without some degree of intimacy, but they had not physically made love again. He growled at the sensation, and Bulma delighted in the little purring noise that rumbled in his throat.  
  
"So.would that lower your defenses?" she whispered as she clutched his engorged manhood in her hand.  
  
"I want you again, woman." He breathed as he lowered his head to catch her earlobe in his teeth.  
  
"It's a pity Strifelon remembered to take his blanket."  
  
"We don't need a blanket."  
  
Bulma shrieked as she was forced to the ground. She giggled and put up a mock fight, pushing at Vegeta as he began to blow raspberries on her stomach. The sensation quickly turned from ticklish to erotic, however, as his tongue replaced his lips, and began to make a hot, wet trail down her abdomen.  
  
"Vegeta." Bulma moaned, and she grabbed his head and let her world spin.  
  
Koru smiled as she stared down at the sleeping face of Arden.  
  
"You look just like an Angel. It's a pity you didn't find me earlier." she whispered gently, laying tiny kisses on his face, careful not to disturb him.  
  
It was so strange a twist of fate.  
  
But then.so wonderful, at the same time.  
  
Koru snuggled down beside Arden and lay her head on his chest, listening to the beat of his heart. Their cloaks lay in a heap beside the now disturbed bed, and she felt herself blush at the memory of the delicious sin they had just committed.  
  
If this was love, then she didn't want to die. 


	37. Chapter Thirty Seven: Discovery

Chapter Thirty Seven: Two Little Miracles  
  
Authors Notes: I'm glad to report that I'm out of my second (or is it third?) nasty bout of writers block and back into action, with lot's of new ideas ^^ Enjoy!  
  
Azul and Strifelon stood between the rows of stone and silently regarded the growing patch of Psytrim.  
  
"It'sss getting to be fewer and fewer every year." Sighed Azul, who was one of Strifelon's associates as well as a very knowledgeable Storkrin on the subject of the Psytrim. His long, elegant fingers sliced into the dirt around the flower and brought up a small sample of dirt. This he put into a dark green tube and handed it over to his shoulder to Strifelon, who pocketed it instantly. The air was cool and unusually windy. Strifelon raised his snout to the dark red sky and sniffed delicately. Suddenly Azul made a surprised noise.  
  
"Wait!" he cried excitedly, as his fingers delicately prodded a very tiny nub of yellow, flesh-like material. "I think there isss another!"  
  
"Are you sssure?" Strifelon asked. He bent down close to inspect it for himself. Sure enough, it was the very beginnings of a Psytrim. "A good omen, indeed!" Strifelon cried happily. "Thisss could mean the ssstart of a new pattern!" he straightened and smiled happily. This was truly a miracle. The Psytrim was growing at its expected rate, while another was now on the way for Koru! He smiled when he thought of how happy she would be to hear of this. There had been a slim chance that two might grow, but it had been the slimmest of chances. Now, it was real.  
  
She and Arden would have a future together, after all.  
  
Azul grinned as he gently pilled the dirt back on top of the bud. "Yesss. We mussst report thisss to the Council."  
  
Strifelon snorted. "There isss not much left of the Council thessse daysss." He paused. "I will take the report to Arden."  
  
Azul shrugged. "Do asss you pleassse." He said. "I am happy to have been of ssservice."  
  
With that, Strifelon turned and began to make his way to the CC Ship.  
  
It was working out to be much harder than she had expected.  
  
Bulma growled as her hand slipped and smashed against the siding. The metal cut easily through her glove and she gasped in pain. "I'll have to smooth that down a bit better." She mumbled to herself, sliding off her glove so she could suck on the cut.  
  
She sighed and bent back over to tend to her work. She had no idea that a certain Sayajin Prince watched her from the darkness. Although, no matter how close-up Vegeta was, he could never understand what Bulma was constructing. It was something mechanical minds would understand, not minds of warriors.  
  
He didn't like it, though. He frowned at her from where he stood; wondering and wondering at what it was she was so caught up with. She didn't seem to be in any pain, and for a moment he considered that perhaps it was taking enough of her attention to mask the Fortricres. If that was the case, then so be it.  
  
He was about to step out and confront her when he heard a knocking upstairs.  
  
He slid out of the shadows and materialized upstairs before Bulma had even heard the noise.  
  
It turned out to be a happily grinning Strifelon. "Hello Prince." He gave a nod of his head and peered over Vegeta's broad shoulders. "Isss Bulma in?"  
  
"Why?" Vegeta asked, suspicious. He glanced down at the small green vial that Strifelon held in his clawed hands.  
  
Strifelon only grinned his secretive grin again. "There is sssomething I think ssshe would be very interesssted to hear about."  
  
Vegeta raised an eyebrow. "You mean.?"  
  
Before Vegeta could say another word Bulma appeared beside him. Her hair was tied back in a messy ponytail and she wore loose fitting jeans and an oversized T-shirt. Oil and grease covered her arms up to the elbows. She smiled politely.  
  
"Hello Strifelon!" she said. Her blue eyes followed Vegeta's to the vial. "What brings you here?"  
  
Strifelon nodded his head. "Looking radiant asss ever, Bulma dear."  
  
She grinned a lopsided grin and leaned against the doorframe, wrench in one hand. "Are you trying to sell us something?" she teased.  
  
He cocked his head and put a clawed finger to his chin. "Hmmm.one could sssay that." He winked at her.  
  
Bulma stared. "What's.going on?"  
  
Vegeta smiled very, very softly as he watched Bulma for her reaction.  
  
She looked back and forth between the two. "Are you two in on something?" she asked.  
  
Strifelon smiled. "There are two Psssytrim, Bulma. Two are growing, in perfect health, I might add."  
  
Bulma said nothing.  
  
"Which meansss," he paused, looking like a child who was the keeper of some gigantic secret, "That not only will you be in perfect health in a matter of daysss, but a dear friend asss well."  
  
"Koru.?" Bulma whispered. Her chin trembled.  
  
Vegeta turned to her. "Looks like we'll be home soon." He said softly. "Better start packing."  
  
It seemed then that the dam broke. That all the emotion flooded from the small, frail blue haired woman, and she shrieked as it burst and threw herself without hesitation into Vegeta's arms. He allowed her to, no, he -reveled- in it, and held her to him tighter than anything he had held before. It had always been there, they both had known that, that small flower that would eventually grow for her, but now that it was for real.  
  
"Oh.Kami!" Bulma cried, her face a grinning, wet mess of tears. "I can't believe it!" she pulled away from Vegeta and hugged Strifelon.  
  
"The plantsss will be ready in five days, Bulma. You can come visssit me then." He held her to him and swayed, a gentle and very content old man in the wind. "And bring Koru." He added with a smile.  
  
"I will!" she cried. "Have you told her yet?"  
  
He shook his head. "I wasss going to leave that to you, my dear."  
  
And then he turned, waving his clawed hand over his shoulder as a farewell, and descended the ships steps.  
  
Vegeta closed the door and looked at Bulma.  
  
"It.doesn't seem real, does it?" she hiccuped. "All this bullshit we've gone through.it -hasn't- been all for nothing!"  
  
"It has not." He agreed.  
  
Spider and Ghost made their way to them, along with his siblings. And as creatures can usually sense these sort of things, a multitude of Roctorn tails began swishing happily in the hallway, an applaud to the woman who had suffered so much.  
  
"Now I won't have to give it to her and feel sad about it!" Bulma said as she started down the hallway with renewed spirits.  
  
Vegeta frowned. "Give what to her?"  
  
But there was no reply. Vegeta sighed, shaking his head. Oh well.he supposed. He would let her be, after all, it was her day.  
  
Besides, he would figure it out.  
  
Koru and Arden sat together inside Arden's underground Storkrin cavern. They sat at his polished brown kitchen table, a bowl of hot Storkrin soup in front of them. Koru stirred hers around with her spoon, halfheartedly.  
  
"Isss sssomething wrong?" Arden asked, putting his own spoon down. His brow was ceased with worry for his new companion.  
  
"No, nothing." Koru sighed. "I suppose I'm just." she trailed off and frowned. "Who am I kidding? Of course something's wrong, and I'm an idiot to try and hide it from you, aren't I?"  
  
Arden smiled sympathetically. "Then what isss it?"  
  
She leaned back in her chair and tossed the spoon onto the table. It clattered in front of her, the brown soup pooling out from under it. She raised her fierce eyes to his, and Arden realized with fear that there were tears in them.  
  
"Koru.?"  
  
"It's not fair, Arden!" she cried, startling him. "I get out of The Dungeons, finally, and I meet you and we.we fall so far into love, only for me to know that I'm going to die!" she sniffed loudly. "I don't want to die.but there's only one Psytrim."  
  
Arden looked down. "Koru, do you not want Bulma to regain her health?"  
  
Koru looked up. "No! That's not it at all! Of course I want her to get better, and she deserves it.but." she frowned. "Of -course- I'm a little angry that it's going to be her and not me! I'd be insane not to be!"  
  
She sighed. "And yet, Bulma has been such a great friend to me when no one else would be one, so a part of my heart wants nothing -but- to see her get well again."  
  
They sat in silence. Arden lifted his head to speak, when he was interrupted by a knock on the cavern door. They both looked up.  
  
"Who.?" Arden wondered aloud. He got up from the table, gave Koru a sympathetic kiss, and went to answer it.  
  
He came back with a giggling Bulma.  
  
"Bulma.?" Koru gasped as the laughing blue haired girl bounded into her friend's arms. She was holding a wine bottle and her face was alive with happiness.  
  
"Bulma, what's got you so happy?" Koru asked, wiping the last of her tears away self-consciously.  
  
"You wipe those tears away, Koru!" she said, walking over to the cupboards to get them glasses.  
  
"What's going on?"  
  
Bulma began pouring the wine into four glasses, and Koru wondered why four, until she saw Vegeta coming down the steps behind her. He smiled (forcibly) at Koru, and joined Bulma at the table.  
  
"Yes indeed, Koru, today's a day of great news!" she filled the last glass and seated herself. "Now you sit down, and prepare to get good and drunk with me!"  
  
"Drunk?" Koru looked at the bottle. "Is that Storkrin wine?"  
  
"Strifelon gave it to me." Bulma replied. "Now sit down."  
  
Koru sat down.  
  
"Are you ready?" Bulma asked, still giggling.  
  
"I don't know." Koru replied warily.  
  
"Koru." Bulma leaned in. "You and I are -both- on the way to recovery."  
  
A heavy silence filled the room. Koru sat, shocked, until a frown overcame her face.  
  
"Bulma, if you're drunk and this is some kind of joke."  
  
"No joke." Bulma said seriously. "Koru, there's two Psytrim growing. Two! One for both of us!"  
  
Koru's reaction was much like Bulma's.  
  
She burst into tears. 


	38. Chapter Thirty Eight: Delightful Hangove...

Chapter Thirty Eight: Delightful Hangover  
  
Authors Notes: Well, the Psytrim is in good health and growing at unexpected rates ^_^ And there are two of them! I hope you guys liked that little twist, even though I'm sure you knew I wouldn't kill off Koru, she's grown on me. Anyway, enjoy the chappie! P.S I apologize for the little accident concerning the last chapter's title: Discovery. As you all noticed, I'm sure, it was actually 'Two little Miracles'. Sorry 'bout that!  
  
Storkrin wine, Bulma discovered, packed much more of a punch than human wine did. It had a bitter taste and an even nastier aftertaste, but she found she liked it, more or less. Although she knew she was ridiculously inebriated, Bulma wasn't about to give in to shame. After all, she was going home soon, and her friend was getting another chance at life.  
  
It simply called for a celebration. When one believes themselves to be dying, it's quite an uplifting feeling when they find out that there is a cure in sight. And that was precisely what she and Koru did. They celebrated until they could celebrate no longer.  
  
However, when one is drunk, they have no sense of time, and the time usually flies by unnaturally fast, as it always does when one is having an immensely good time.  
  
Vegeta and Arden had declined from drinking, and Arden had simply watched his newfound love as she and her friend celebrated life. Vegeta had taken to standing outside while he waited for Bulma to pass out. It didn't take long.  
  
It was silent in the underground cavern when he approached the table. Arden was already tucking his female into bed; Vegeta did the same. He gently lifted Bulma's head and slowly patted her on the cheek.  
  
"Hmmm?" she groaned, her eyes opening slowly.  
  
"You're drunk as hell, woman." Vegeta sighed. "Hope you've enjoyed yourself, because I'm taking you home now."  
  
"No." Bulma slurred, reaching for the overturned bottle. "I'm.not done.by a shot long.long." she trailed off, her head flopping into Vegeta's waiting hands. He sighed and hefted her easily into his arms, and headed for the stairs.  
  
Arden was waiting for him. "It'sss a good thing they quit when they did." He said, smiling.  
  
"Yes." Vegeta agreed. "I doubt Bulma's body could have taken much more of that foul stuff."  
  
"Ssstorkrin wine not to your liking, Prince?"  
  
He shook his head. "Neither was Vegetasei wine."  
  
Arden nodded and clasped Vegeta on the shoulder. He was silent, seeming to struggle for the right words. "Many thingsss are not to onesss liking, yet they mussst tolerate them, nonethelesss."  
  
"You're starting to sound like that crazy old man." Vegeta snorted. "What makes you say such a thing?"  
  
Arden shrugged. "At thisss point, I do not know myssself." He blinked rapidly, suddenly, and looked up at the roof. "I am overcome with happinesss thisss night."  
  
Vegeta turned to head up the stairs. "And you should be." Was all he said. Reaching up with one hand, he undid the latch, letting in the dark red sky and the glittering orbs of stars in its depths. He closed the door behind him, leaving the stairs in darkness.  
  
Spider and his sibblings lifted their heads as the door to the ship opened. Vegeta fumbled inside for the light, switched it on, and stepped inside. He closed the door behind him and sighed.  
  
Was it truly coming to an end? Was their time here truly done, in such a short time? He looked down at the Roctorns, their wagging tails, and was suddenly overwhelmed. He didn't want to admit it, but he had become attached to so many things here.the people, the wildlife, the entertainment.and most of all, the snoring woman in his arms, who he had endured so much for. He walked forward, setting out toward the bedroom.  
  
It seemed only yesterday, as corny as it sounded, that he had fought a battle with himself as to whether or not he was actually -up- to saving the woman's life. Now, as he looked down at her sleeping (and slightly drooling) face, he found himself smiling faintly. How could he have ever denied himself this? He lay her down on the bed and shut the door behind him. Spider whined outside, but he ignored him.  
  
He brushed aside a strand of her loose hair. "How could I have ever considered turning you away?" he whispered very softly, and then felt foolish. He was a changed man, he knew, and there was no turning back, but it was still so very hard to admit to these new feelings.  
  
Bulma moaned softly in her sleep, and he pulled back from her, the seemingly lost part of him that still loved to hate afraid that she had heard him. But she only whimpered and curled into him, the movement so fluid and familiar that Vegeta felt his hands trembling.  
  
What was this, anyhow? Was this his new life? Was this what he was destined to discover, upon setting his murderous feet on the Earth those years ago?  
  
"Best get you changed." He said, trying to abandon his thoughts. He stood and gently lifted her from the bed, untying her jeans and slowly slipping them off her. He paused, his eyes never missing an inch of her as they trailed down her glorious form. Next came her top, and her bra, and he slipped her under the covers next to his own naked body, and spooned up behind her.  
  
"If this is my new life." he started, but paused, unsure of how to finish the sentence. He let his head fall back to the pillow and stared out the window at the glittering stars.  
  
He would know how to end it, some day.  
  
Koru had never before been drunk.  
  
Not once, in her entire life had she drank. Being the Del'kili, she was not entitled to indulge in such behavior.  
  
She winced as Arden brought the lantern into the pitch-black room and shone it clear in her face.  
  
"How are you feeling?" he asked her. In one hand was a tray of freshly cut fruit. Her mouth watered, and she tried to sit up, but her head hurt far too much.  
  
He set the tray down beside the bed. "Not too good, huh?"  
  
She smiled. "Well.I don't know, Arden. My head hurts, but I haven't been this happy since." she trailed off.  
  
She had -never- been this happy.  
  
"Where's Bulma?" she asked.  
  
Arden sat down on the bed beside her. His weight sank into it heavily. He looked down at her and smiled. "Ssshe'sss back at the ssship. They left last night."  
  
Koru didn't exactly care. Right now, she was too involved with the handsome man staring down at her with such affection, with freshly cut fruit and all the cares in the world.  
  
"You treat me like a Goddess." She whispered.  
  
He reached out and cupped the side of her face. "God knowsss you dessserve it." He said, and he leaned down and kissed her.  
  
They sat there together, in Arden's giant bed, enjoying life as it was and munching on fruit and sipping at water. Occasionally they would abandon the fruit for each other, at which point they knocked over both the tray and the fruit slices and had the best tickle fest Koru ever remembered having. Afterwards they were content to lay in each other's arms, staring at the ceiling and listening to one another's breathing.  
  
"There are some things I want to do today." Koru said softly, interrupting the silence.  
  
"Hmm?" Arden inquired.  
  
"I'm going to visit the other three women that lived through The Dungeons, and then I'm going to visit my little sisters grave." She paused. "I was so wrapped up in finally being out of there that.I didn't even go see her."  
  
Arden placed a hand on her arm. "Don't feel bad. Nobody could have expected you to right away."  
  
"Well, that's what I'm going to do."  
  
"Do you want me to come with you?"  
  
She thought for a moment, and then rolled over and smiled gently at him. "No, thank you Arden, but these are two things I feel I have to do on my own."  
  
"I underssstand." He said.  
  
And he did.  
  
Bulma groaned and waved a hand in front of her face, trying to ward off the licking and chirping of her pets. They would not be thwarted, however, and she only succeeded in bringing them up onto the bed, which further aggravated her.  
  
Luckily, Vegeta came to the rescue. He entered the room with an Aspirin, a glass of water and a dry piece of bread. He shooed Ghost and the other Roctorn's away and then seated himself on the bed beside her.  
  
"Drink this." He ordered, unclenching her fingers and placing the pill in her palm. He lifted her up with his other hand and placed the glass of water against her lips. She drank it without question.  
  
"My head hurts." Was all she said when she finished.  
  
Vegeta made a 'I don't believe it' face. "Really?" he exclaimed.  
  
She scowled.  
  
"Here." He smirked, and reached over for the bread. "You should eat this."  
  
She finally sat up, and looked suspiciously at the toast. "Bread and water. Thank you, Mr. Warden."  
  
"If you're going to be an asshole, then you can just spend the day barfing."  
  
She sighed and took the toast from him, taking small bites from it. It was very unappealing, but she ate it anyway. "So what's the deal? Why are you being so nice to me?"  
  
"Well," Vegeta said, "These are very expensive bedsheets, and I don't want to be sleeping in Bulma vomit tonight, you know."  
  
She slapped him, munching on the toast as she did so. "You're a prick, Vegeta." She swallowed and smiled, suddenly. "I heard you last night."  
  
Vegeta looked alarmed. It was absolutely adorable.  
  
"Heard me what?" he snorted, trying to mask his surprise by crossing his arms and looking ignorant.  
  
Bulma giggled. "Oh, nothing." She put the toast down and slid back under the covers, pulling them around her chin. Muffled laughter followed afterward. "Why do you care?"  
  
"I don't" Vegeta pouted. "So shut up."  
  
"I love you."  
  
"Humph."  
  
Bulma erupted in a fit of hysterical giggles. Vegeta stood, seething, and abruptly left the room. Bulma kicked out at the sheets and guffawed for a good five minute's before the Prince returned. He stood in the doorway, his face red, and his hands on his hips. Ghost cocked his head and stared from his vantagepoint on the bedside table.  
  
"You think you're pretty funny, don't you?" he scowled, a smirk on his face.  
  
Bulma tried to hold in her laughter. It didn't work.  
  
Suddenly, Vegeta was across the room and holding her down, wrapped tightly in the bedsheets. She squeaked in surprise and struggled uselessly, only to discover that she was hopelessly and entirely screwed.  
  
"Now who's laughing?" he growled.  
  
"Me.!" she cried, her giggles returning, "After all, the jokes on you, Vegeta!"  
  
Vegeta flipped her over in one smooth motion and straddled her. "I am in complete control, now, woman." He leaned over and growled into her ear. "Just try and escape."  
  
"I don't know." Bulma said, her giggles suddenly gone and replaced by an aroused tone, "I kind of like where you've got me."  
  
Vegeta realized that her firm little behind was exactly where his pelvis was. He felt himself growing hard, but he tried to push it from his mind.  
  
"Don't turn this around, woman." He tried to remember how frustrated she had made him. "You can't." he broke off in a moan when she raised her bottom and wiggled it against him. "You're not." he couldn't help it any longer. After all, she was completely naked, the door was closed, and they had all the time in the world.  
  
"All right, minx, you asked for it."  
  
Bulma what she asked for.  
  
Azul held his breath as he delicately began to remove the soil from around the first Psytrim. If anything went wrong, it was very possible that he could damage the plants roots and forever diminish any chance of it working properly.  
  
His claws sliced through the soil and touched root. He let out his breath, knowing lives rested on his experience, and slid the first Psytrim out as slowly as he could. He held it up in front of his face. The roots were fine. He turned to his side and placed the fragile flower in a glass box.  
  
Then he turned to the other. 


	39. Chapter Thirty Nine: Surprise and Confro...

Chapter Thirty Nine: Surprise and Confrontation  
  
Authors Notes: I've been getting so many nice reviews lately, even though I made you all wait so long -_- Thanks! Anyway, I'm glad you're all enjoying Koru and Arden, I personally think they're a very cute couple. The filler chapters are done and I'm moving on to the more serious stuff now. Enjoy!  
  
  
  
Days remaining: 2  
  
Strifelon opened his overhead latch and peered up into the face of Azul. Instantly he smiled, ushering the man inside.  
  
"Good newsss?" he asked once he and Azul stood on the steps. Azul rummaged around inside his cloak and pulled out the two glass boxes. Each was decorated intricately with small stones and rune markings, markings of their people. Inside were the two delicate Psytrim. Strifelon took the boxes and told Azul to follow him down to his laboratory.  
  
Strifelon's laboratory was a thing of marvel amongst the Storkrin's. Few had been inside it, and those who had left with the feeling that they had personally shared time with the most intelligent Storkrin alive. It was a privilege, and Azul felt no different.  
  
They passed bubbling vials and strange weeds and furs stuffed in overhanging compartments. It would seem a Witch's lair, if not for the obvious abundance of technology. Azul watched as Strifelon set the boxes down gently and then began to extract each flower.  
  
He shook his head, as if annoyed with something. "It isss a sssstrange thing that we Ssstorkrinsss are one of the mossst technologically advanced ssspeciesss, yet we lack the knowledge and the power of the green thumb."  
  
It was not entirely true. Azul had quite the green thumb, which was why it was he who tended to the plants each year. Yet he agreed with the Wiseman. They could create nearly anything they wanted and they could build any sort of mechanical device anyone could ever need.but they were dying because of a plant.  
  
Azul nodded. "You are right, Ssstrifelon. If the Psssytrim doesss not continue to grow." he trailed off, leaving the suggestion open.  
  
They both knew it meant the end of their species.  
  
Strifelon placed the last flower inside the dark yellow liquid and they both watched it dissolve into nothing. Although it was far from nothing; it was the power to exterminate a particularly nasty disease, thus brining forth life.  
  
70% of the remaining Storkrin's alive on R'haksin were male, and half of those alone were either nearing the end of their lifespan or too decrepit to produce anymore. This was a fact that was not easily swallowed. This meant that if they continued to produce at the rate that they were then R'haksin would no longer have a race for itself.  
  
"We are foolisssh." Strifelon said as he stirred the yellow liquid and poured it into two separate vials. One for Koru, the other for Bulma. "If only there were ssssome way to masss produce the Psssytrim." he sighed, and turned to set the vials into holders, upon which he shut them away under lock and key into a small cupboard.  
  
"I have tried everything, Azul." He said, turning toward the kitchen. The younger Storkrin followed, and seated himself at the table as Strifelon prepared tea. "Yet, I find myself a tired old man." He handed Azul his tea and sat down across from him.  
  
They sipped in silence, both contemplating the end of their race forever, both wondering desperately at the solution to the problem.  
  
Then, a knock from above startled them from their thoughts.  
  
Strifelon grumbled, mumbling to himself as he took his staff in one hand and went to answer the door, leaving his guest to his tea.  
  
"Can no one leave me in peace?" he growled on his way up.  
  
A Moment later Strifelon returned with Bulma. Azul instantly rose from the table and bent at the waist, a slight bow for her. Bulma flushed. The Sayajin was behind her, Azul noticed, and did not like the reaction his female had from the display. Azul sat back down.  
  
"Earthling female." He nodded in greeting. "Prince."  
  
Azul had always been one of the more refined of the Storkrin's, one of the very few males who had disagreed to The Dungeons and who treated the women with equal respect.  
  
Bulma seated herself at the table, politely declining the tea.  
  
"Pardon me for sssaying ssso," Azul said, "You do not look well."  
  
Bulma smiled faintly. "I do not -feel- well." she confessed. "I have awoken with a pounding headache, and." she drifted off.  
  
Azul took the hint. He rose from the table. "It wasss nice to sssee you." He dipped his head again, and then left for the stairs with one last glance at Strifelon.  
  
"Tell me Bulma." Strifelon took her hand in his own, and began to rub the skin on her hand. She winced, and he made a noise of deep understanding in his throat. "I sssee." he said.  
  
"What is it?" Vegeta barked, his eyes both angry and worried.  
  
"Not to fear, Prince." Strifelon said as he left the room for a second and returned with Bulma's vial.  
  
"What is that?" Bulma asked. She was sweating.  
  
"Thisss, my dear," Strifelon said as he held it up with his imp grin, "Isss your Psssytrim."  
  
She smiled.  
  
"It will be ripe in two daysss time. It mussst ssssettle until then." He put it into his pocket and pulled out another. "Thisss, I fear, will not make you sssoo happy."  
  
"Why?" Bulma moaned. "Is that another one of your disgusting remedies?"  
  
Strifelon took no offense to her words, but merely smiled sympathetically. "Yesss." He said. "Yet you mussst drink. You are sssuffering from the lassst ssstretch of the dissseassse."  
  
"Which is.?" Vegeta raised an eyebrow.  
  
"It isss when Fortricresss attacksss the reproductive sssyssstem." He announced. Bulma's head shot up.  
  
"What?" she cried, looking panicked. "What does that mean?"  
  
"Bulma." Strifelon soothed. "Lisssten. Fortricresss attacksss the reproductive sssyssstem in all femalesss, which isss why our race hasss been dying out." He unscrewed the top of the vial, letting loose a particularly nasty smell. "Asss of now, your abdomen hurtsss dreadfully, and you are experiencing vaginal bleeding, am I right?"  
  
Bulma flushed. "Yes." She said, very softly.  
  
"Yet, by drinking thisss, we can alter the effectsss."  
  
Bulma took the vial. "Then why did they continue to die?"  
  
Strifelon lowered his head. "Becaussse we ignored them." he said softly.  
  
There was a silence.  
  
"We did not treat them asss we sssshould have." He said regretfully. "Yet, asss you know, Fortricresss isss not the sssame with Earthling women. I do not know how thisss will effect you."  
  
Bulma felt her eyes tearing up. "So, do you mean that, because I'm a human female, I might.." She struggled. "I might not.be able to produce children in the future?"  
  
Strifelon sighed. "I am not sssure, Bulma." He paused. "I'm sssorry."  
  
Vegeta felt miserable. He had taken this woman as his mate, and now there was a chance that he would not have an heir?  
  
"However," Strifelon continued, breaking the awful silence, "You are a ssstrong woman, and you continue to sssurprissse me at every turn." He smiled gently. "I would not be very sssurprisssed at all if you recovered from thisss dissseassse with no real long term affectsss."  
  
"You mean it?" Bulma whimpered, looking pitiful.  
  
Strifelon smiled. "I do." He waved his hand at the vial. "But you will not accomplisssh anything by not drinking."  
  
Bulma tipped the vial to her lips and shuddered. It was horrible, and it burned her throat.  
  
Strifelon looked meaningfully at Vegeta. "I have one thing to add before you are off." He said, taking the empty vial from her and returning it to his pocket. "If you would engage in sssexual activity for the next two daysss, there would be no telling asss to what could happen." He looked at Bulma, who was once again blushing. "Although, I would bet my bessst cauldron on the fact that after drinking thisss, sssex will be the furthessst thing from your horny little mind." He handed her another vial of a darker liquid. "Take it tomorrow morning."  
  
"Horny?" Bulma cried. Vegeta could not help but chuckle. "Where the hell did you pick that word up?"  
  
"From you." Strifelon replied simply. "Now, my dear, in all ssseriousssnesss. Heed my wordsss and resst. There are only two more daysss until you will be cured." He put a hand on her shoulder. "I am sssorry if I ssscared you, Bulma. Pleassse do not let your head be filled with thoughtsss of a barren womb."  
  
Bulma nodded, and together, she and Vegeta left, the vial of dark gray liquid in hand.  
  
Strifelon sighed, and returned to his studies.  
  
Chi-Chi tossed the frozen package of chicken wings into her cart and continued down the isle, absently looking at the assorted packages of pre- cooked food. None of them looked terribly appealing.  
  
And yet, nothing seemed to appeal to her any more.  
  
It had been so since she had discovered that Bulma had left. When the assumed days had passed, everyone had fallen into a deep state of depression. Nobody wanted to admit that Bulma could be dead, but she had to be.if it had taken that long.  
  
Chi-Chi felt her eyes tearing up, and she pushed the cart a little faster.  
  
Yaumcha had been the one to take it the hardest, Chi-Chi thought with bitterness. She hadn't exactly sympathy for Yaumcha anymore. In the beginning, she had felt sorry for him, until she had further read into her friend's diary, and discovered the true meaning of how horrible Yaumcha had treated her.  
  
She looked down. Her cart was nearly full, and Goku was probably going to be starving after his workout with Gohan behind the falls. She sighed, and began to wheel the cart to the front of the store. She picked checkout Isle five and stood, waiting until she could at last get home and forget, just for a little while.  
  
Goku.  
  
She felt a pang of guilt when she thought of her husband. Sure, he wasn't exactly the smartest man on the planet, nor was he rich, and he always wanted their son to do the opposite of what she thought was right. But he was a great person, and he treated both she and Gohan with more love than anybody deserved. Lately, however, Chi-Chi had been depriving her husband of sex. Although she knew they looked like the sort of couple who -never- engaged in sexual activity, she and Goku were quite the opposite. She clenched her hands on the cart and trembled. Goku made love to her with more passion and gentleness than she thought possible and he hardly ever asked for it. She felt guilty. Yet, wasn't she entitled so say no? After all, her best friend was practically dead!  
  
But.to say no ten times? Was that fair?  
  
Chi-Chi was interrupted in her thoughts, however, when Yaumcha suddenly appeared out of nowhere, a basket of food at his hip, a hesitant smile on his face.  
  
"Hey Chi-Chi." He ventured. "Shopping?"  
  
Chi-Chi forced a tight-lipped smile. "No, Yaumcha. I'm just standing here with a cart full of food at a supermarket."  
  
He shrugged. "All right, so it was a stupid question." He paused. "How's Goku?"  
  
"Fine."  
  
"And you.?"  
  
She turned to him. "Not in the mood to talk."  
  
Yaumcha frowned. "Chi-Chi."  
  
"Look, Yaumcha. Just drop it."  
  
"You blame me! Everyone blames me!" he suddenly cried. A woman standing behind him glared. "Everyone thinks Vegeta is the big fucking hero! I suppose they all forgot that he tried to kill us!"  
  
Chi-Chi whirled on him. "No, Yaumcha, we haven't forgotten that Vegeta tried to kill us, but we also haven't forgotten that he's the one who went to space to save her life, which is a shitload more than -you've- ever done for Bulma!" Chi-Chi yelled back. "Oh, wait, you -have- done things for Bulma. What were they, now.oh! I remember! You slapped her one night after she accused you of cheating on her with that blonde from the bar, giving her a very nice black eye, which is why she wore sunglasses all that week. It's not like you were cheating on her that night, though. Oh, no! It's not like she caught you with your pants down giving it to that same blonde behind the bar the week before! But you just had to put her in her place, didn't you Yaumcha!"  
  
Yaumcha stuttered. People were staring, and whispering.  
  
Chi-Chi wasn't done yet.  
  
"If I remember correctly, you've also cheated on her eight times before that, screamed at her and insulted her each time for accusing you." she paused, seeming to think. "You tore the head off of her favorite teddy bear, called her a slut on more occasions than she could remember, and you forced sex on her three times, each time after you'd already screwed 'Sarah' only hours before!" by now Chi-Chi was fuming. "So Kami help me, Yaumcha, but if she's alive, and if she comes back, if you even -touch- her for one second, I will have my Goku on you faster than you can blink," she leaned in very close, "You think I won't do it? TRY ME."  
  
There was an eerie silence in the supermarket. Yaumcha's face was burning red.  
  
"So when she comes back, you can pull your little snot-nosed, sniveling 'please take me back' display, and you show her those fucking pathetic little 'look at me look at me' cuts on your wrists, and try and get her back. But it won't work you shithead." She wheeled her cart around. "Vegeta may have tried to kill us, and he might be an arrogant prick sometimes, but at least he knows how to treat women, and has the heart to be a hero when the time calls for it, you fucking son of a bitch COWARD!!" she finished with a scream.  
  
And with that settled, Chi-Chi lifted her head high, wheeled her cart around, and left for another isle, feeling more proud of herself than she had in years.  
  
In fact, she felt downright peachy. 


	40. Chapter Forty: Transformation 2

Chapter Forty: Transformation 2  
  
Authors Notes: I'm really glad you all enjoyed Chi-Chi harping on Yaumcha. I noticed that some of you thought that Yaumcha acted quite uncharacteristically mean toward Bulma. Well, since I -hate- Yaumcha and since anybody who cheats on somebody in my book deserves no respect, I figured that I'd emphasize on his faults. I continue to try and remain open- minded toward him, however. If he sounded like too much of a rat bastard, sue me ^_^ I'm making Vegeta out to be Mr.(semi)nice guy here.  
  
Koru stared sadly down at her sister's grave, a faint smile on her face. It had been so long since she had seen Jona. Three years, was it? She sighed. Koru bent at the waist and gently lay the small bouquet of flowers upon the slightly raised pile of red Earth.  
  
She let her hand lay fleetingly on the grave. Around the gravesite, there were huge, overhanging trees that seemed to shade her sister from the harshness of the elements. Vegeta and Bulma had chosen a nice place. She didn't remember who had actually buried her little sister, but all that mattered was that she was safe and sound, and at peace, finally.  
  
"I love you." She said quietly, although her voice could hardly be heard over the wind. "And I miss you."  
  
She knew she had been heard.  
  
"You know," Bulma said, shuddering as she swallowed the last drop of the dark liquid Strifelon had prepared for her, "I just realized something."  
  
They were sitting in the kitchen. Vegeta was drinking a glass of water, leaning up against the counter. He didn't look terribly interested, but he shrugged anyway.  
  
Bulma continued. "I realized that, despite how much bullshit it's given me, I'm actually going to miss this place."  
  
Vegeta smirked and turned to the sink. He splashed the last bit of water down the drain and wiped his mouth. "The place grows on you, doesn't it?" he said. "Not the people, particularly." his voice trailed off. He walked toward Bulma and felt her forehead with his hand. "How do you feel?" he asked.  
  
She shrugged. "Like shit." She said with an ironic grin. "Aren't I supposed to be getting better?"  
  
"No." Vegeta said. "You're nearing the very end of this disease. Of course it's going to hurt the most, now."  
  
She shook her head. "But it's not like that, though. I mean, sure, my stomach hurts like the menstrual cramps from Hell, but there were a couple of nights." she trailed off and suddenly looked embarrassed.  
  
"I know, I was there."  
  
"Yeah." Bulma agreed. They were both thinking about the Forae, and the night that she had asked him to end her life. She still felt sick when she remembered it.  
  
She was looking out the window, marveling at the fact that tomorrow she would finally be cured, when she suddenly felt Vegeta's hand on her belly. Startled, she looked up and met ebony eyes, darkly serious as she had only seen them once before.  
  
"Woman." he paused, and it occurred to her that this was going to be something important, "I hope that whatever that liquid is that the old man gave you.I hope it does not leave you barren."  
  
Bulma's voice caught in her throat, though she struggled to say something. "Vegeta.?"  
  
His fingers stretched over her abdomen, so lightly she could not feel them. "Because, some day."  
  
She held her breath and waited.  
  
".There will be a Ki very similar to my own, inside."  
  
Bulma went for his hand but he had removed it, the same cold, hard shell that she had seen so often flaring back up, encasing him. A barren retreat for his feelings that he would not outright admit. She took his arm instead and grasped it, refusing to let go. She could see it in his eyes that he wanted to run.  
  
"Vegeta.do you mean what I think you mean?"  
  
He said nothing, as she had expected. She tried a different approach.  
  
"Vegeta, we are mates, now and forever, just as you told me." She waited for his reaction. It was the smallest flicker of unease, but she caught it and held on to it. "And if that means that having children with you is part of it, then."  
  
She realized, then, that Vegeta's entire body was tense. Tense and quivering slightly, as though he were holding his breath, waiting for her answer to erase any doubts or fears that he had previously experienced. She also realized, as she rubbed her fingers over his soft skin, that she truly loved this man, and she was overwhelmingly happy that he wanted to sire her children. She wondered how large a part children played for Sayajin 'mates'. By the reaction she was getting, she assumed it to be quite large. It seemed this was the statement, the very question, that Vegeta's entire life had revolved around. He needed an heir, did he not? And she was to be the one to mother it?  
  
She smiled at him, then. "I'd be honored." She finished, and tightened her hold around his arm, forcing him down until he was eye level with her. She lifted her other hand and touched the side of his face, running it over places where she imaged there would be scars, touching his skin because she suddenly needed to. His eyes held hers, perhaps unwillingly, but still meaningfully.  
  
"Bulma, you bring out pieces of me that are better left buried." His voice was hoarse.  
  
"No, Vegeta, you only think they are better left buried." She leaned forward and kissed him tenderly. "I know better."  
  
"Do you?" he murmured against her lips. "I don't think so, woman." And then he pulled away.  
  
Bulma only smiled.  
  
There were lots of things Bulma needed to clear up before she and Vegeta returned home. Some of them small, insignificant questions, and others that were important enough to be burning her insides. So, with Vegeta back at the ship (now avoiding her) she decided to set out toward the R'haksin wilderness to see what she could determine. And after that, she would head to Strifelon's. Spider strode beside her, his wounds seemingly healed to perfection. Ghost was sleeping back at the ship. Bulma smiled when she imagined his furry little face contorting into a mask of surprise and disappointment when he woke up and she was not there. Oh well, she thought as she hiked her pant legs up, stepping over a puddle, he had looked so peaceful.  
  
Bulma looked over at Spider, marveling at his size and the grace with which he loped between and over the boulders covering the path. Roctorn's were very beautiful animals, Bulma thought to herself, and Spider was no exception. He was now the size of a full-grown Siberian Tiger, perhaps even bigger, and Bulma felt a twinge of excitement at the thought of his full grown, adult size. If it was anything like his mothers had been, she doubted anyone back home (albeit perhaps Goku) would like him. She looked back at him, watching the smooth way his muscles moved under his luxurious red fur that shone like fire in the midday sun. The small clusters of pebbles and rocks that coated Koru's skin moved with him just as easily, and at this she also marveled. Such a strange creature he was, and she was happy to be a part of his life.  
  
Bulma looked up. She was nearing the sight of The Dungeons, and it brought a chill down her spine. There were no more Storkrin guards to be seen, in fact, there was nothing much except rubble and debris that covered the entire area for what seemed like miles; Vegeta had been very thorough. Bulma stared. It hadn't seemed this big, when she had been beneath, but then she remembered how the tunnels had stretched on forever. Had the Storkrin's really been planning to throw that many women down there? She scowled at the thought, and noticed that Spider was growling deep in his throat.  
  
Not exactly nice memories for either of them.  
  
She hadn't known exactly the reason for wanting to return to see The Dungeons, but something in the back of her mind told her that she needed to.  
  
She walked over the slabs of concrete and debris until she had neared a particularly interesting sight; there was a small hole that looked big enough for her to investigate. As she neared it, she realized that it was, in fact, what was left of the Entrance. She shivered as she looked down the hole. An eerie wind howled up through the crevasse. It had collapsed on itself inside; there was no way to get down there, but half of the stairway was still standing. Experimentally, she leaned forward, one hand holding the Entrance to balance herself, and put one foot down on the stairs. Satisfied, she leaned forward and slipped inside, putting the other foot down.  
  
It had been a bad idea.  
  
Bulma shrieked as the foundation shook, suddenly, and she found herself staring up at the huge slab of rock that was very quickly descending on her. She scrambled for a split second to escape, but she was too late. She squeezed her eyes shut and waited for the rock to crush her.  
  
And again, like he had once before, Spider lunged forward and put himself between the oncoming rock and Bulma, taking the full weight of it as it crushed down upon him. Bulma stared with huge, terrified eyes as the Roctorn shuddered under the weight of the rock, his muscles flexing and straining, and his legs desperately fighting to keep himself up. Bulma lay, frightened and in shock, until Spider growled at her, signaling that she was to make her move. Bulma snapped out of it and scrambled forward, out of the Entrance and into daylight. She looked back and saw the foundation collapse in on itself, a shuddering, quaking thunder of debris and rock. She cried out for Spider, but it was silent.  
  
Bulma lifted shaking hands up to her mouth. She stared at the spot where the Entrance had been only seconds ago. Tears welled in her eyes. She was so stupid! Why did she have to come here in the first place? Shaking, she rose to her feet. Seconds dragged by, and with each one, there was only the howling and wind and the mounting silence. Bulma gathered her wits about her, summoned her voice, and called for her friend.  
  
"Spider?" she whimpered into the wind. The rock remained still. "Spider!"  
  
Nothing.  
  
Bulma slumped to her feet and put her head in her hands. She was about to burst into another bout of tears, when she heard the faint and barely perceptible noise of the rock shifting. She gasped and lifted her head. The rock moved again, groaning and shifting on itself, the slabs of concrete creating a scratching orchestra as they protested against one another. Then, abruptly, Bulma saw the familiar red ears poke themselves up out of the rock, and she cried out joyfully, stumbling forward on her hands and knees.  
  
He was alive! Frantically she grabbed pieces of rock and pulled them away from him, her fingers grazing his ears, her voice sending reassuring words to him below. He was partially buried, but the rock was coming away easily. She guessed it was because most of it had crumbled into nothing.  
  
At last his head broke free, and Bulma cried out in surprise. He was huge! This was not the same Spider who had rescued her, was it? He growled, and, summoning his strength, slammed upward through the rock and surfaced, a new Roctorn at his best. Bulma recovered from her initial shock and threw her arms around his massive neck, hugging herself to him.  
  
"You brute! I don't deserve you!" she cried into his pebbly fur. "Thank you Spider!"  
  
He wagged his six tails happily. Spider was now the size of a small vehicle. Of course, the transformation was simple. When Roctorn's are in a life or death situation, they achieve their next level of size and stature in one smooth moment. Spider had sensed that his master was about to die, and had easily been able to summon the strange Roctorn DNA. He was only happy, now. Free of wounds and happy that his master was alive and well.  
  
Bulma pulled away from him and did a quick examination. He was completely fine! There was not a scratch on his body, anywhere! In fact, she thought as she did another quick scan, he looked much better than he had before!  
  
Bulma stood, and fully realized just how huge Spider had become. He was massive! He looked only a few steps away from being the size that his mother had been. With one hand on his neck she took a moment to regain her senses. She couldn't tell Vegeta about this.but he would know, somehow. He always found out about everything. Keeping secrets from the man was impossible, although she had one mechanical secret that she had managed to keep a secret so far. She grinned at the thought.  
  
"Spider, we'll just pretend that nothing extraordinary happened at all, all right?" she smiled. "If you promise not to tell, I won't say anything either. It will be our little secret, ok?"  
  
Spider gave her one of his lopsided grins. It sounded good to him. 


	41. Chapter FortyOne: I was only worried

Chapter Forty-One: I was only worried  
  
Authors notes: I NEED FANART!! ^_^ If anyone out there would like to be really nifty and extra-kewl and do a 'Time enough to be with you' fanart (of anyone/anything you like!) I would LOVE IT! I would post it on my website, as my fanart section is a little empty. Anyway, anyone who'd like to, give me a shout! I'd really appreciate it!  
  
Arigato!  
  
"Sssoil sssamplesss?" Strifelon raised one thorny eyebrow and looked suspiciously at Bulma. "What in the world would you need with sssoil sssamplesss?"  
  
Bulma squirmed from where she sat in her chair. She had come to visit Strifelon with the intent to get the questions she had wanted to ask off her chest, and, of course, to get the Psytrim. Koru and Arden were already there, Vegeta had said he would arrive shortly. None of the three Storkrin's in the room had asked as to the origin of the faint bruises and scratches on her clothing. Spider was waiting outside.  
  
Bulma shrugged in reply to Strifelon's question. "Well, I don't recall if I've ever told you, but back at home, my father is the head of a very powerful corporation." She paused. "He designs robots and machines. He's great with anything. The fact is, he works with a team of very intelligent scientists, who just might know how to somehow mass produce the Psytrim."  
  
Strifelon paused in his work. "You know what you asssk, Bulma, my dear." He was dividing the two bottles of liquid Psytrim into small glasses for Bulma and Koru. Bulma could read it on Koru's face; she was almost jumping out of her chair.  
  
She nodded. "I know, I know, you think that if we brought attention to you, the scientists would want to suddenly know everything about you, your race, and your planet." She leaned forward on her elbows and made a wry grin. "Strifleon, believe me, Earth has seen so many damn weirdo's I'd bet my life that nothing would interest them that much anymore." She caught the roll of his eyes and giggled. "No offense."  
  
"None taken."  
  
"Good." She beamed. "Strifelon, think about it. If this could work.it could mean the uprising of your once glorious and thriving race! R'haksin would flourish! I'm sure there's some way that my father could design a machine capable of sending it back to you. The path from Earth to R'haksin is already memorized well by Vegeta."  
  
He seemed to consider it. "It isss a dangerousss risssk. I would dissscusss it with The Council, firssst." He looked at Arden, who shrugged with a smile.  
  
"I think it isss a great idea, Ssstrifelon." He said honestly. "What do we have to loossse?"  
  
"It could work, Strifelon. Humans could triumph where you have failed."  
  
With a groan, he seated himself at the table, across from her. "The Psssytrim will be ready tomorrow, my dear. Onyx hasss moved acrossss R'haksssin to be away from hisss father, and I am a tired sssoul." He regarded her solemnly with his ruby eyes. "Ssso much hasss happened."  
  
"I know, believe me, -I- know." She sighed, and impulsively took his hand in her own. "But just imagine."  
  
He looked wistful. "I have."  
  
Just then, the door to Strifelon's underground cavern clicked and opened, sending a dim red light down the stairs. Everyone's head turned toward the source and saw Vegeta descending the stairs. He had a strange look on his face.  
  
"What the hell happened to Spider?" was the first thing he said. He looked at Bulma, noticed the tears in her clothing, the smudges of dirt on her arms and face. His entire visage darkened, and Bulma knew that he knew.  
  
"I.have no idea." She put her arms up in a half-hearted effort. "Just one of those crazy growth spurts."  
  
Strifelon seemed to notice the tension and cleared his throat. "Here you are, girlsss." He smiled, and handed them the bottles. Koru and Bulma exchanged huge smiles.  
  
"Drink it at 10:00," he looked at Bulma, "Which would be your Earth time, and then go to bed right after."  
  
They nodded. "We will."  
  
"Come back to me tomorrow, to tell me how you feel. I will alssso need to do sssome tessstssss."  
  
Bulma got up from the table. She smiled at the three Storkrin's and turned to the Prince, who was scowling deeply. "I guess we'll see you all tomorrow." She said. "Thank you, Strifelon. Sleep well Koru."  
  
"Oh, I will." Koru grinned, and slung an arm through Arden's.  
  
Bulma wished she could do the same.  
  
Of course he knew.  
  
"Do you think I'm stupid?" he roared into her face. His chest was heaving, and his eyes were burning coals of rage. "Did you honestly think that lame excuse would work on me?"  
  
They were standing in the kitchen. Bulma was covered in dust and clumps of dirt that crumbled that dropped off every time she shifted her body weight. Spider stood beside her, dwarfing the both of them in size and stature, with his tails between his legs, whimpering in fear of his enraged Master. Bulma didn't know what to say. It was useless arguing. It -was- her fault, after all, she had been fairly stupid about the whole thing. She stood before him in the kitchen; her usual passion for verbal sparring matches was dwindling by the minuet.  
  
"You're an idiot, Bulma! I have gone though so much bullshit for you, and you go off gallivanting and nearly fuck up the whole mission!"  
  
"I've gone through bullshit, too!" she screamed back.  
  
"Do you think I don't know that?" Vegeta roared, his voice collapsing on her own and driving the force out of it.  
  
Silence. Bulma could feel her tears coming, and now Vegeta was pacing back and forth, running his hands through his unruly hair, the muscles in his arms bulging. She stared at the ground.  
  
'Why do you care?" she asked in a tiny voice. "You don't care about anything."  
  
He turned back to her. "I -didn't- care about anything, until I met you." He said in an icy tone. "I liked it better that way."  
  
She froze. "Is that such a bad thing?"  
  
He didn't say anything. She hadn't expected him to.  
  
Bulma sniffed loudly and wiped her nose on her sleeve. She brushed past him, trying hard to ignore the way his body tensed and seemed to lean into her own when she did. "Fine. I'm a fucking idiot. A diseased, insane idiot." She turned to him. "And you're a cold, unfeeling bastard."  
  
With that, she turned and fled down the stairs toward the basement, Spider in tail-tucked tow. Vegeta stood in the middle of the hallway, waited until she was out of earshot, and punched a good-sized hole through the wall.  
  
Bulma stared miserably at the invention she had made for Koru.  
  
It wasn't working, and she -had- to finish it before she left. Otherwise, there would be no point to its existence. She had already made her half of the machine, but Koru's still had some adjustments. She sighed and leaned back in her chair, odd parts scattered on the floor at her feet. Spider sat at her feet, too afraid to be around the rampaging Prince, was her guess.  
  
It occurred to her that she had not particularly thought about her friends and family back home. They -must- think she was dead. After all, when she had not reached her father on the communicator (which had malfunctioned, and she had not had the parts to repair it) what else would they have thought? It was fairly obvious, after all.  
  
Bulma's thoughts turned to Yaumcha. Was he already parading after some other woman? She sighed. The answer to that was most definitely yes. She didn't care, though. After all, she and Vegeta were a couple now, weren't they?  
  
Weren't they?  
  
With an angry noise, Bulma realized she was crying. She tried to wipe the tears away but they finally spilt from her eyes in a flooding river, obviously meaning to have come out earlier. She was too stressed out; too much was happening lately. She put her head down on the table and cried to herself, loud, pulling sobs, for nearly an hour.  
  
  
  
  
  
Vegeta heard the door click open, the rest of the Roctorn's scrambling to see who was entering. Bulma's scent flooded the room instantly. He knew it was her long before she had even touched the doorknob. He lay still and waited for what she would do.  
  
"I'm about to drink what we came here for." She said in a tiny whisper of a voice. A normal person wouldn't have been able to hear her, which would have been the point. Yet a Sayajin heard her instantly, which was also the point. He felt a flood of guilt.  
  
There was a moments pause. "I didn't think you would care." She sighed, and he heard her unscrew the cap of the bottle. He could hear the liquid sloshing around inside.  
  
"I suppose I was just hoping against hope." A pause. "I do that a lot with you."  
  
Vegeta tried to ignore her. It wasn't working out so well.  
  
"I know what I did was stupid, Vegeta. But what you did was also stupid. Sure, you were supposed to get angry with me, but you weren't supposed to bury your feelings again." He could hear the strength returning to her voice. "You've proven to me that you have feelings, and feelings for me. So I won't stand for this."  
  
Vegeta smirked in spite of himself. Here she was, the little minx, trying to force a reply out of him by directly attacking his angry nerve endings. He sat up from where he lay and stared at her. She was shadowed in complete darkness, but he could see her well enough.  
  
"I can do whatever I damn well want to do, woman. Just because I may have feelings for you does not mean that I have to show them."  
  
Bulma lifted her chin. He could see the familiar anger in her eyes.  
  
"Say you love me." Bulma whispered after a pause.  
  
Vegeta said nothing.  
  
Bulma slowly extended her arm, the bottle in hand. Vegeta's eyes watched as she slowly tipped the bottle forward. She meant to pour the liquid out.  
  
"Don't threaten me, woman." He said in a low, dangerous tone. "And do not be stupid again."  
  
Bulma's hand was trembling. The liquid sloshed around inside the bottle, precariously close to the neck. She knew he could grab the bottle out of her hand anytime he wanted to. She did not even realize what she doing.  
  
"I love -you- Vegeta, but I want you to love me, too. I cannot live in a relationship with you if you will not tell me you love me."  
  
Vegeta's jaw was set. "I cannot do something that I." he struggled, through gritted teeth. "I -will- not admit to something that I do not feel."  
  
Bulma's eyes flared. "YOU DO FEEL IT!" she screamed at him, and the liquid nearly spilt from the neck. "And I won't be denied it!"  
  
"Why are you doing this?" he yelled back. "You are being foolish!"  
  
"AND YOU'RE BEING STUBBORN!" she cried, her voice hoarse. Her knees buckled, and Vegeta saw the oncoming disaster. He leapt out of bed and grabbed her before she fell, clutching the bottle in one hand and her in the other. He placed it on the nightstand and dragged her toward the bed.  
  
"Woman, calm down." He said as she flailed uselessly against him.  
  
"Why do you deny me so much?" she cried, grabbing fistfuls of his shirt in her hands. There were tears pouring down her cheeks. Vegeta feared that she was going to drive herself into another emotional frenzy. He narrowed his eyes and held her fists gently, forcing her into his lap. She was facing him, her face a mask of frustration, exhaustion and sorrow. He set his jaw and shook her, gently but forcibly, and she sucked in her breath, staring back at him.  
  
"I do not deny you any more than you have earned, Bulma." He said in a low voice, meant to calm her. "I know that I have opened myself up to you more than I have opened up to myself. I have given you a part of me that no one else has ever glimpsed." He held her eyes with his own. "You have frightened me enough already with these feelings, woman, can that not be enough? Will you not settle for less? I am a man devoid of emotion, until now. I was a boy raised on hate. My mind cannot keep pace with this." He sucked in a breath and looked away fleetingly. "You are my mate, and that I have not denied you."  
  
"But I want you to love me, as I love you."  
  
I do, Bulma.Vegeta said silently. But I cannot tell you.  
  
Instead, knowing it was the only way to calm down her hysterical sobbing, he pulled her against him. She leaned fully into him, hiccuping and sniffling all over the back of his warm shoulder. Vegeta closed his eyes and began to rock her, having seen it before on television. He did not know if it would work, but he would try anything to prevent another attack of Forae, or worse. Miraculously, after only minutes, Bulma's crying had subsided into tiny little quivering sighs. Her hands came up around his neck and he inhaled deeply the scent of her skin.  
  
The scent of his mate.  
  
"Come on now, you have to drink this." He pulled her away from him and picked up the bottle. She took it, shamefully, and tipped the bottle to her lips. She hurriedly drank the liquid and then handed the empty bottle back to him.  
  
"You are a cured woman." He said softly.  
  
Then, together, they lay down in the bed. Vegeta wrapped the sheets around her shoulders and pulled her body against his own, and, just for this once, began to softly stoke and play with strands of her hair.  
  
After all, he was a man raised on cruelty, but she was a woman who deserved much better.  
  
It was only a matter of courage. 


	42. Announcment

Chapter Forty-Two: Cured  
  
Authors Notes: The update drought is over! I'm really sorry for being so late with my updates, but I hope you all read and understood my reasons. Anyway, I am (hopefully) back in business. Writer's block hits me really hard, but I'm trying to get this finished quickly. I am out of school in January and that is coming upon me quickly, so I have to hurry! Again I'm sorry! Enjoy this very late chapter!  
  
It was daybreak on R'haksin. Vegeta awakened to find himself alone in his bed, with Bulma nowhere to be seen. He yawned and scratched some uncomfortable areas and got up to groggily drag himself to the kitchen.  
  
Their food supply was, naturally, depleting faster than he could have imagined. It -was- Bulma's fault and she knew it. If she hadn't barged onboard that day, he wouldn't have had to share any of the food.  
  
He snatched up a box of half empty Cheerio's and poured what was left into a bowl. It was strange, but since he had been to Earth, he had started to actually enjoy their food. He shoveled a spoonful in his mouth, crunching thoughtfully. When he was done he left the bowl on the counter and went in search of Bulma.  
  
She was in the basement, as he had suspected, tinkering away at what was still a mystery to him. He watched her for a moment; not being able to see past her shoulders at what it was she held. He could hear her grunts of frustration when something apparently went wrong. After a few minutes of watching her he stepped down the stairs and approached her.  
  
"How long have you been up?" he grunted. Bulma gasped in surprised and clutched the clutter of loose wires and cables defensively to her chest.  
  
"KAMI!" she cried her heart pounding. "Do you have to sneak up on me like that all the time?"  
  
He shrugged. "How do you feel?" he asked, indicating her cramps.  
  
She sighed and settled back into her chair, still holding the strange machine to her chest. Vegeta then noticed that it looked similar to what Bulma called a 'VCR'. It had a number of buttons on it, some large and some very small, and a tiny screen on the top of it, which looked like the screen of a television set. He frowned.  
  
"I feel fine." She said. "Which is a relief." She put the machine down delicately. "Look, if you're wondering what this is, I'm not telling you yet." She paused. "It will be done today, in a few hours, if you'd just leave me alone." She finished hopefully.  
  
"I can take a hint." He said coolly, turning to leave.  
  
"Look, Vegeta, you don't have to be like that." she trailed off, sounding uncomfortable. He knew they were both thinking about last night.  
  
She turned around in her chair and faced him, although his back was turned. "I'm.cured, Vegeta." She said in little more than a whisper. "Haven't you got the slightest idea what that must do to me? My body and my mind are in turmoil right now.I can't really focus on anything."  
  
Vegeta considered what she said. "That could be true." He said with a snort. "But it looks like you have more than enough focus to concentrate on that hulk of junk."  
  
"That's because I have to get this finished!" she said determinedly. "It's important that I do."  
  
Vegeta shrugged. "When do you want to leave?"  
  
Bulma looked back down at the machine. "There's still a lot I have to do. I have to get this finished, I have to go see Strifelon, and we have to do something about the rest of the Roctorns." She sighed. "I also want to say goodbye to some people."  
  
Vegeta nodded. "Put that shit down and come with me to Strifelon's."  
  
"I."  
  
"Come on, woman! Your cursed health is more important than that stupid machine, whatever it is." He looked her in the eye. "You know I'm right." He added a little more softly. Bulma noticed well the look in his eyes. She stood and followed him regretfully toward the doorway. He was right.  
  
Koru and Arden were already there when Vegeta and Bulma arrived. The giant lizard-woman ran toward Bulma and embraced her in a gentle hug. Bulma knew the woman was absolutely overjoyed at finally being rid of her inevitable death, but Bulma could feel something else underlying the emotion. It was a relief so great that it practically overruled every other sensation the Storkrin woman could have felt. Bulma hugged her back with the same feeling, although she had only suffered for months and Koru had suffered for years, they still shared an understanding that no one else in the room could possibly have comprehended.  
  
It felt amazing.  
  
After Koru and Bulma hugged Strifelon and Arden (Vegeta stood back awkwardly) Strifelon led the two women away into the next room to be closely examined and tested for any remaining ailments. Vegeta made himself comfortable by propping himself against the wall and adopting his favorite stand-offish expression. Arden sat at the table, staring into the contents of his mug that he grasped in clawed hands. They were silent for a moment, then Arden spoke.  
  
"It feelsss wonderful, doesssn't it?" he said sssoftly. "To know that they'll be all right?"  
  
Vegeta broke out of his glare long enough to ponder the words. They were true, to more of an extent than the Storkrin sitting across from Vegeta could have ever known. But too many barriers had been let down lately for the Sayajin Prince to feel comfortable admitting any others. He simply nodded curtly and let his eyes settle back into their soft glare. He could not deny that they kept darting to the opposite room. He experienced the emotion of worry. He hoped Bulma was all right.  
  
"It'sss jussst ssso ssstrange.I mean, one day I jussst meet thisss girl.I fall in love, only to realize that ssshe isss ill. Then," he lifted his red eyes to Vegeta, who met them with his own. "Then you and your mate come, and everything changesss." he looked back down into his mug, then took a hesitant sip. "Everything hasss changed."  
  
Vegeta didn't say anything.  
  
"Do you believe in fate, Sssayajin Prince?"  
  
Vegeta's eyes snapped up. Fate? It was a word too powerful to use loosely. He thought of his distant life of cruelty and pain, thought of his meeting with the third class Sayajin warrior, Kakarott. He thought of their battle, so very long ago now.and he was stilled. What would have happened, had he won? The Earth would have been destroyed.and Bulma along with it. He would not be the man he was today, had that battle been his. Yet.to not be the man he was today.was that good or bad? He could not put words to his answer. Yes, everything had changed. But did he believe in fate?  
  
Fate had brought him to her.  
  
Arden seemed to know that Vegeta would not answer. He smiled, feeling his own emotions surge through him at the knowledge that his love would be all right. He tipped the remains of the drink to his lips and swallowed. Lowering his cup, he leveled another ruby gaze at the Sayajin standing across from him.  
  
"You have dissscovered much, Prince." He said.  
  
Vegeta was about to reply when he heard Bulma's laughter. He watched as Strifelon led her and the giant Storkrin woman out of the room. All had smiles on their faces. Vegeta felt the hardly perceptible worry in his body ease. Bulma took her place beside him and took his hand in her own. He did not pull away. Instead, he fought not to pull her closer.  
  
"Everything isss fine." Strifelon announced. "You are healed women."  
  
Although both Koru and Bulma had known since the previous night that they were cured, hearing it for the first time from the mouth of a Doctor was, well, nothing short of indescribable. Bulma squealed and threw herself into Vegeta's arms while Koru did the same. Strifelon smiled happily, then sent the Sayajin Prince a knowing look as Vegeta struggled to keep his emotions at bay.  
  
Bulma finally detached herself from Vegeta, her cheeks coloring a bit when she met his ebony eyes, and turned back to Strifelon. "Thank you so much for all you have done for me." She looked at Koru and Arden. "Thank you."  
  
Koru smiled and hugged her friend briefly, wanting to remain in her lover's arms. "No Bulma, thank you. Without you, I would still be down there, and without a friend." She looked at Vegeta. "You too. Thank you for getting rid of that horrible place."  
  
Vegeta said nothing. All the emotion in the room was getting to him. He simply wanted to take Bulma and go back to the ship.  
  
"When ssshall you leave?" Arden asked, one massive arm wrapped around Koru's waist.  
  
Bulma looked at Vegeta. He shrugged; he had no answers. She turned back to the others. "I don't know for sure.there are some things I must do before we leave."  
  
Strifelon placed a hand on her shoulder. "Yet you dare not dilly dally about it, dear one. I'm sssure there are many friendsss and loved onesss back home who are terribly worried about you."  
  
Bulma nodded. "I know." She said. "I know."  
  
It was nearing midnight, but Bulma could not sleep. The invention she had been working on had become too frustrating, and she had reluctantly abandoned it. She stood by the window overlooking the red cragginess of R'haksin, wishing she were home, wishing she was staying just a little longer. She had opened the window slightly, just enough to let a gentle breeze of air in. It was enough to raise the hairs on her arms, but she had the company and added heat of Spider and his siblings to warm her. They sat around her on their haunches, golden and red eyes blinking slowly, mouths yawning and tails lazily swishing.  
  
"I'll miss you guys." She said suddenly, one hand on the windowsill. The Roctorn's looked up at her and the moonlight glinted off of their small pebbles embedded in their fur. "I never gave any of you names, nor have I spent very much time with you." she kneeled down beside them, taking them all toward her in a giant fuzzy hug. "But I experienced probably the most emotionally powerful time of my life with you."  
  
The Roctorns growled happily.  
  
Bulma stood and took in the dark red scenery, her hands running over her belly and up over her arms. She sighed shakily, still not believing that it was finally over, that she could finally return home. She imagined what her parents would think.what Goku and Chi-Chi would say.  
  
.And what Yaumcha would see.  
  
Bulma frowned at the thought. If Yaumcha still believed something existed between them, then he was a very stupid man indeed. She looked down at her belly as a sharp pain twitched within her. She frowned but ignored it, continuing her thoughts. She was with Vegeta now, and he loved her.  
  
Did he?  
  
Just as she finished the thought two strong hands encompassed her in their grip, wrapping around her belly and pulling her backward. She sighed contentedly as she leaned into the steel body and twisted her head, looking into Vegeta's black eyes.  
  
"We'll be leaving soon." He said. Spider lashed his tails around and curled up near the Sayajin Prince, at their feet. Bulma looked out the window, stroking the area between his thumb and index finger. She nodded slowly.  
  
"And you harbor regrets?" he said, his face twisting into a soft glare.  
  
Bulma shrugged. "I cannot say what I feel." She said. "I have changed so much, in so little time."  
  
Vegeta thought of Arden's words back at Strifelon's. He twisted Bulma around in his grip and held her tighter against his body.  
  
"Do you believe in fate?" he asked softly. Bulma could feel the growing arousal in his groin, and she shifted against it, her mouth parting slightly.  
  
"Fate, Vegeta? You would be one to talk of such things to me?" she lifted her mouth to his and ran her lips lightly against his chin. "I believe fate has many things in store for us all."  
  
She felt his wandering hands stray onto her belly and she stilled. Looking up into his eyes, Bulma felt her heart thud painfully in her chest.  
  
"Then believe this," he leaned down and whispered into her ear. "I will not let you live your life a barren woman. I will never let anyone or anything hurt you." He lifted her chin. "And may it be that I will not be the most loving husband, nor the most attentive or understanding.but I will give you a child, Bulma, and I will protect and remain with it as I will you."  
  
Bulma opened her mouth but no words came out. She felt the heat of his body and the warmth and love of his words, and found she had no tears. She felt only a deep relief that flooded her body and whispered to her of honesty.  
  
"Do not lie to me, Vegeta, because I don't know if I could handle that." She whispered.  
  
"I am not he, Bulma." He nipped at her chin. "Let me be with you as I would, and I will never be as he was."  
  
Vegeta lifted her gently into his arms, his arousal growing within the heartbeat of every second. But it was a different lust than any he had experienced lately, and in this he was confused. He looked down into her blue eyes and had to tear himself away. For how could any lust stem from long buried emotions and a reluctant admittance? As he entered their room and lay her on the bed, touching every part of her, loving every moment of her skin, he knew only that he was changed, and that he would never quite be the same again. 


	43. Chapter FortyThree: Cured

Chapter Forty-Three: He swore it  
  
Authors Notes: I'm glad to see that you guys seem to harbor no resentments against me! I'm really glad to be out of my writer's block. I'm violently ill right now, so it was hardcore to drag my arse out of bed to write this, but I don't want to make any of you wait any longer, and I want to get this finished too. Anyway, glad you enjoyed the chapter (even if I did feel like Vegeta was acting a little OOC) Well, here's another one!  
  
The Roctorn's knew something was up. They could tell from the moment they had awoken to find Bulma pacing about the room with a troubled and somewhat sorrowful look on her face. Now they too were pacing with her, all their tails swishing in their now agitated state.  
  
Bulma had awoken in the early hours of the morning. She had carefully (and regretfully) detached herself from Vegeta's warm embrace and had prepared one of the very last cups of coffee for herself. Eggs were frying on the burner and the smell of food permeated the air. She wore her housecoat and slippers and was trying desperately to figure two things out. One, how on earth was she going to make the last four boxes of pre-packaged food last until she and Vegeta got back to Earth? And secondly, just what was she going to do about the Roctorns that now lay at her feet, staring expectantly up at her? Bulma suddenly felt like a mother; with all the eyes on her demanding an explanation, demanding that she make everything work out. She refused to let them back into the wild for the reason that she was frightened for them, but also because Strifelon had told her that they would be unable to survive on their own. So what was she going to do about them?  
  
She thought about rehabilitation, but that was out of the question since she was certain nobody on R'haksin had the time or patience for that. Bulma sighed and decided to have a shower to clear her mind. What good was it if she couldn't think?  
  
Bulma smiled as the hot spray hit her body. Yes, the shower had been a great idea. She leaned against the stall and drank in the steam, trying to put order to her thoughts. So many things had changed, over so little a time. She and Vegeta had made love.on a number of occasions now. Yaumcha was no longer in her thoughts. She had made and saved a dear friend. She had been brutally attacked. She had come close to being crushed by tons of rock. She had visited a new planet, discovered many new things, made many friends and had, very horribly, suffered through a terrible disease that had racked her body and mind. Bulma's hand paused as it ran down her belly, and she felt her eyes tear up as the one prominent thought grabbed her; most of all.she had captured the heart of a man deemed impossible and heartless and in return, had received more than she could have ever thought possible.  
  
She smiled faintly, her hand pausing once more on her stomach. Vegeta had done and said so many things to her over the past few months that Bulma was still struggling to come to terms with it. He had saved her, risked his very life for her, and had given himself to her in body and soul. She touched the skin on her neck where he had bitten her. It seemed she was a marked woman. A smile touched the corners of her mouth. It seemed.  
  
"Do they bother you?"  
  
Bulma jumped, but only slightly. She turned to see Vegeta standing at the sink, a toothbrush in hand. He was completely naked, and she could not help but let her eyes trail over the glorious dark flesh that covered him like a sheet of iron.  
  
She let her fingers linger. "Bothered.by these?" she asked.  
  
He turned to face her and she smiled at the toothpaste foam at the corners of his mouth. He glared at her smile and the frown only made the foam touch the tip of his nose, lending him a rather adorable but grumpy look. She giggled, and turned off the shower. She stepped out and wrapped herself into his arms.  
  
"No." she said. "I rather like them."  
  
Vegeta looked down at the naked woman in his arms and a small, relieved smile crossed his face for a fleeting moment. "Good." He said gruffly. "Because they're there forever, woman."  
  
The statement hung thick in the air, and although the both of them knew it, it was still a shock to hear it loud and clear. Vegeta had struggled indeed to come to terms with the fact that he had chosen a loud, abrasive and generally unpleasant human for a mate. But it was times like these, when he held her against him and watched the way her delicate fingers would trace the marks, signifying them, committing them to memory.he knew he had chosen right. Yet.something was amiss today. He could feel it in the air, although he wasn't quite sure why he hadn't caught it earlier, or why he could not figure out what exactly was wrong. He had been struggling to figure it out ever since he had woken up. Bulma shifted against him. She seemed content with hugging him, so he let the thoughts linger. The problem seemed to be Bulma. He had awoken to a strange sensation which had left immediately after Bulma had. Was something wrong with her? Perhaps the Psytrim had not reacted well with her?  
  
Bulma noticed the odd look on his face and gently touched his cheek. "What's wrong?"  
  
He pushed her hand away. "Nothing." He said quickly. "I'm going to take a shower."  
  
She turned and watched as he walked into the shower stall and yanked the curtain shut. She sighed and turned to the sink. Had she chosen right? It seemed the man could never make up his mind. One moment she thought he would melt completely, that she had him in her grasp! But then that dark cloud would steal over his features and shut her out again and once more she was at a loss for hope.  
  
Bulma finished brushing her teeth and rinsed the sink out. She was about to return the cap to the toothpaste when she felt another strange pain in her gut. She faltered for a moment, pressing her hand to her abdomen, then waited until it was past. She shook her head, confused. Thinking it nothing, she turned to the shower stall. "We're going to auction off the Roctorns today." She said simply, not waiting for an argument. "We need to get these things finished before we can leave."  
  
In the stall, Vegeta waited until he heard her leave before he switched the water off and leaned against the wall, his eyes narrowed his whole body tense.straining. He felt something.something familiar.but completely alien. He had finally figured it out, figured out what had been bothering him since daybreak. The source of the strange sensation radiating from Bulma was simple.  
  
The sensation of a new and tiny Ki.  
  
It was an odd thing that the thought chose to grab her right in that moment, but it did, and it shook her with ferocity and nearly doubled her over with the impact.  
  
Bulma ignored the look on Spider and Ghosts faces as she stumbled up from the floor and raced down the hall to the bathroom. Vegeta was still in there, doing what she didn't know. She came to a slippery halt in front of the door and banged three times, loudly.  
  
"What the hell, woman?" Vegeta bellowed.  
  
Bulma was shaking. "Let me in!" she cried.  
  
Inside, Vegeta frowned. Why did she sound so frantic? He was only having a bath. The shower had not felt very good, and so he had decided a good hot soak would clear his thoughts. Perhaps.she had discovered as well.  
  
"Then come in." he said. "It's not like you haven't seen it all before."  
  
The door opened and Bulma stepped inside cautiously. Right away he could feel the new Ki flare into all perimeters of the tiny space and it flooded him with its power. It was the most amazing sensation, though he would not admit it, and Vegeta found himself temporarily stunned. He also noticed the obviously lack of good skin coloring in her skin and, alarmed, rose out of the bathtub and went over to her.  
  
"Woman, what's wrong?" he asked. Bulma looked up at him, but did not instantly go into his arms.  
  
"I.I think something is wrong." she said. Vegeta could hear worry evident in her voice, but no anger or regret. He did not think Bulma was the type to be mad at discovering she was pregnant.  
  
"What?" he asked, putting on the front that he didn't care. Bulma continued to stare at the floor, her fingers knotting in all different directions. Inside, both their hearts were pounding, though neither one would say anything.  
  
"Vegeta." Bulma sucked in a breath. "I.I think I'm-"  
  
But Vegeta cut her off by taking her shoulders and turning her around. He pressed her lithe body against his own and snaked his arms around her, his great hands resting on her belly. Bulma moaned at the sensation; it felt great but she could feel the underlying.tenderness within the action. This move was completely devoid of sexual intention on his part, and at this she became confused.  
  
His hands were moving on her stomach. "Bulma," he nuzzled her neck with his lips, prompting her to relax, "This morning I realized something felt amiss with you."  
  
"Amiss?" Bulma stammered.  
  
"Amiss." Vegeta confirmed. "I wondered what it was, and could not figure it out until I realized this morning in the shower just what was bothering me."  
  
Bulma felt her heart stopping. "And?" she whispered.  
  
Vegeta prepared himself to say aloud the words he had not yet come entirely to terms with. "There is a new and tiny Ki inside you, woman. We are going to have a son."  
  
He had sworn to her that she would not be barren.  
  
And he had kept that promise. 


	44. Chapter FortyFour: He swore it

Chapter Forty-four: He swore it  
  
Authors Notes: I'm glad to see that you guys seem to harbor no resentments against me! I'm really glad to be out of my writer's block. I'm violently ill right now, so it was hardcore to drag my arse out of bed to write this, but I don't want to make any of you wait any longer, and I want to get this finished too. Anyway, glad you enjoyed the chapter (even if I did feel like Vegeta was acting a little OOC) Well, here's another one!  
  
I guess you all noticed that my chapters are a little bit messed up. Hope you don't mind the confusion!  
  
The Roctorn's knew something was up. They could tell from the moment they had awoken to find Bulma pacing about the room with a troubled and somewhat sorrowful look on her face. Now they too were pacing with her, all their tails swishing in their now agitated state.  
  
Bulma had awoken in the early hours of the morning. She had carefully (and regretfully) detached herself from Vegeta's warm embrace and had prepared one of the very last cups of coffee for herself. Eggs were frying on the burner and the smell of food permeated the air. She wore her housecoat and slippers and was trying desperately to figure two things out. One, how on earth was she going to make the last four boxes of pre-packaged food last until she and Vegeta got back to Earth? And secondly, just what was she going to do about the Roctorns that now lay at her feet, staring expectantly up at her? Bulma suddenly felt like a mother; with all the eyes on her demanding an explanation, demanding that she make everything work out. She refused to let them back into the wild for the reason that she was frightened for them, but also because Strifelon had told her that they would be unable to survive on their own. So what was she going to do about them?  
  
She thought about rehabilitation, but that was out of the question since she was certain nobody on R'haksin had the time or patience for that. Bulma sighed and decided to have a shower to clear her mind. What good was it if she couldn't think?  
  
Bulma smiled as the hot spray hit her body. Yes, the shower had been a great idea. She leaned against the stall and drank in the steam, trying to put order to her thoughts. So many things had changed, over so little a time. She and Vegeta had made love.on a number of occasions now. Yaumcha was no longer in her thoughts. She had made and saved a dear friend. She had been brutally attacked. She had come close to being crushed by tons of rock. She had visited a new planet, discovered many new things, made many friends and had, very horribly, suffered through a terrible disease that had racked her body and mind. Bulma's hand paused as it ran down her belly, and she felt her eyes tear up as the one prominent thought grabbed her; most of all.she had captured the heart of a man deemed impossible and heartless and in return, had received more than she could have ever thought possible.  
  
She smiled faintly, her hand pausing once more on her stomach. Vegeta had done and said so many things to her over the past few months that Bulma was still struggling to come to terms with it. He had saved her, risked his very life for her, and had given himself to her in body and soul. She touched the skin on her neck where he had bitten her. It seemed she was a marked woman. A smile touched the corners of her mouth. It seemed.  
  
"Do they bother you?"  
  
Bulma jumped, but only slightly. She turned to see Vegeta standing at the sink, a toothbrush in hand. He was completely naked, and she could not help but let her eyes trail over the glorious dark flesh that covered him like a sheet of iron.  
  
She let her fingers linger. "Bothered.by these?" she asked.  
  
He turned to face her and she smiled at the toothpaste foam at the corners of his mouth. He glared at her smile and the frown only made the foam touch the tip of his nose, lending him a rather adorable but grumpy look. She giggled, and turned off the shower. She stepped out and wrapped herself into his arms.  
  
"No." she said. "I rather like them."  
  
Vegeta looked down at the naked woman in his arms and a small, relieved smile crossed his face for a fleeting moment. "Good." He said gruffly. "Because they're there forever, woman."  
  
The statement hung thick in the air, and although the both of them knew it, it was still a shock to hear it loud and clear. Vegeta had struggled indeed to come to terms with the fact that he had chosen a loud, abrasive and generally unpleasant human for a mate. But it was times like these, when he held her against him and watched the way her delicate fingers would trace the marks, signifying them, committing them to memory.he knew he had chosen right. Yet.something was amiss today. He could feel it in the air, although he wasn't quite sure why he hadn't caught it earlier, or why he could not figure out what exactly was wrong. He had been struggling to figure it out ever since he had woken up. Bulma shifted against him. She seemed content with hugging him, so he let the thoughts linger. The problem seemed to be Bulma. He had awoken to a strange sensation which had left immediately after Bulma had. Was something wrong with her? Perhaps the Psytrim had not reacted well with her?  
  
Bulma noticed the odd look on his face and gently touched his cheek. "What's wrong?"  
  
He pushed her hand away. "Nothing." He said quickly. "I'm going to take a shower."  
  
She turned and watched as he walked into the shower stall and yanked the curtain shut. She sighed and turned to the sink. Had she chosen right? It seemed the man could never make up his mind. One moment she thought he would melt completely, that she had him in her grasp! But then that dark cloud would steal over his features and shut her out again and once more she was at a loss for hope.  
  
Bulma finished brushing her teeth and rinsed the sink out. She was about to return the cap to the toothpaste when she felt another strange pain in her gut. She faltered for a moment, pressing her hand to her abdomen, then waited until it was past. She shook her head, confused. Thinking it nothing, she turned to the shower stall. "We're going to auction off the Roctorns today." She said simply, not waiting for an argument. "We need to get these things finished before we can leave."  
  
In the stall, Vegeta waited until he heard her leave before he switched the water off and leaned against the wall, his eyes narrowed his whole body tense.straining. He felt something.something familiar.but completely alien. He had finally figured it out, figured out what had been bothering him since daybreak. The source of the strange sensation radiating from Bulma was simple.  
  
The sensation of a new and tiny Ki.  
  
It was an odd thing that the thought chose to grab her right in that moment, but it did, and it shook her with ferocity and nearly doubled her over with the impact.  
  
Bulma ignored the look on Spider and Ghosts faces as she stumbled up from the floor and raced down the hall to the bathroom. Vegeta was still in there, doing what she didn't know. She came to a slippery halt in front of the door and banged three times, loudly.  
  
"What the hell, woman?" Vegeta bellowed.  
  
Bulma was shaking. "Let me in!" she cried.  
  
Inside, Vegeta frowned. Why did she sound so frantic? He was only having a bath. The shower had not felt very good, and so he had decided a good hot soak would clear his thoughts. Perhaps.she had discovered as well.  
  
"Then come in." he said. "It's not like you haven't seen it all before."  
  
The door opened and Bulma stepped inside cautiously. Right away he could feel the new Ki flare into all perimeters of the tiny space and it flooded him with its power. It was the most amazing sensation, though he would not admit it, and Vegeta found himself temporarily stunned. He also noticed the obviously lack of good skin coloring in her skin and, alarmed, rose out of the bathtub and went over to her.  
  
"Woman, what's wrong?" he asked. Bulma looked up at him, but did not instantly go into his arms.  
  
"I.I think something is wrong." she said. Vegeta could hear worry evident in her voice, but no anger or regret. He did not think Bulma was the type to be mad at discovering she was pregnant.  
  
"What?" he asked, putting on the front that he didn't care. Bulma continued to stare at the floor, her fingers knotting in all different directions. Inside, both their hearts were pounding, though neither one would say anything.  
  
"Vegeta." Bulma sucked in a breath. "I.I think I'm-"  
  
But Vegeta cut her off by taking her shoulders and turning her around. He pressed her lithe body against his own and snaked his arms around her, his great hands resting on her belly. Bulma moaned at the sensation; it felt great but she could feel the underlying.tenderness within the action. This move was completely devoid of sexual intention on his part, and at this she became confused.  
  
His hands were moving on her stomach. "Bulma," he nuzzled her neck with his lips, prompting her to relax, "This morning I realized something felt amiss with you."  
  
"Amiss?" Bulma stammered.  
  
"Amiss." Vegeta confirmed. "I wondered what it was, and could not figure it out until I realized this morning in the shower just what was bothering me."  
  
Bulma felt her heart stopping. "And?" she whispered.  
  
Vegeta prepared himself to say aloud the words he had not yet come entirely to terms with. "There is a new and tiny Ki inside you, woman. We are going to have a son."  
  
He had sworn to her that she would not be barren.  
  
And he had kept that promise. 


	45. Chapter 45: Closure

Chapter 45: Closure  
  
Authors Notes: Wow. It's been a long while. Guess I have no excuses, except the fact that my life has been changing drastically, and I've been in an awful rut. I just spent the last few min. reading over 'Time Enough to be With You' trying to gain back a feel for it. I may have lost interest in this story, but I know how many of you want me to finish it. Plus.I promise! ^_^ So here is the long-awaited chapter 45. Yeah, I know the last two came out the same.  
  
~Jesa Jaisai  
  
Bulma stared sullenly at the last four boxes of food in the kitchen cabinet. It was very possible for -her- to survive on two boxes, but there would be no chance for her Sayajin Prince. She turned to the 9 Roctorn's, who had clustered around her legs in a mad fury of wagging tails.  
  
"I know you're hungry." She complained softly. "But I don't have very much food left. Look," She knelt down, laughing as nearly every one of them assaulted her with unbridled affection, licking her face and pawing at her. She steadied herself with one hand and managed to fight them off. "You guys!" she laughed. "I have something important to say!"  
  
As uncanny as it was, the Roctorn's seemed to understand. They plopped down on their pebbled haunches and waited for her with shining eyes.  
  
"I love you guy's all so much, and I've really loved taking care of you, but.but you can't all come with me." She tried to say, feeling a warm lump of emotion raise itself into her throat. "I.have to leave you guys. I'm going to find you all good homes. I promise."  
  
There was a moment of silence. Bulma knew she was about to cry, but she held herself in check. If she was going to do this, she needed to be calm, for them. Moments passed until a small whine erupted from the runt, Stogies, throat. He lowered his head and walked up to her kneeling form, bumping against her gently, rubbing his face into her leg. Bulma couldn't help it; she grabbed the fuzzy creature around the neck and buried her tears in its fur.  
  
She had been avoiding the scene since she had awakened. So much needed to be done, this being one of them. They simply couldn't take them back with them. The ship was big enough, but at the rate they were growing, there was simply nowhere to keep them once they arrived back at Earth. Besides, even if they made room, there was hardly enough food for she and Vegeta, let alone 9 ravenous Roctorn's.  
  
Stogie had only recently got his name when she and Vegeta had reminisced about the Storkrin wine, and many other drunken and inebriated memories that they shared. It turned out that Vegetasei had been abundant with liquors and drugs, a personal favorite of Vegeta's being the human equivalent of Marijuana. Bulma had been surprised to hear that Vegeta had, on a few occasions, smoked a bit of it to himself. They had argued for a while, lying on the ship's bed, over whether or not drugs really were a 'bad' thing. It was during a moment of pondering silence that Stogie had suddenly poked his head up over the side of the bed and deposited a chewed up and slimy tampon applicator into Bulma's lap. She had been mortified, at first, when both she and Vegeta burst into laughter at the same shared thought; tampon applicators looked eerily like joints. Thus, Stogie had been born.  
  
Bulma now smiled at the strange but amusing memory as she hugged the small Roctorn fiercely. She realized, suddenly, that this was going to be very difficult. "You know I don't want to give -any- of you away, right? Even when you're chewing on things and being general nuisances?"  
  
The Roctorn's bayed happily at this. Bulma rose regretfully from Stogie's warm fur and proceeded to the living room. "I have to, though. You might not understand why, but I have to. Don't look at me like that!" she protested.  
  
There were many things to be done. One, she had to find homes for the Roctorn's. There was no way she was giving them to some awful thing like Tajil who would just end up starving and beating them. Two, she had to say her good-byes.which were going to be next to impossible. Three, she and Vegeta had to make sure the ship was still in working order. Four, she needed to finish the much needed half of she and Koru's invention. And five.  
  
Five. Bulma lowered her head and curled her hands into fists on her stomach. Five was her child, and discovering what it truly meant. Was she prepared to have children? Was she prepared to let the world know? But most importantly.was she prepared to accept a relationship with a man who loved her, but couldn't tell her he did?  
  
"You're thinking about me. I can tell."  
  
She spun around at the sound of his voice. He was standing only a foot from her, rubbing kinks from the corded muscle in his neck. "What." He sighed, in question.  
  
"I just." she looked at him for a moment. This man was not Yaumcha. This man would not shower her with expensive gifts, or stare into her eyes through candlelight. And yet.this man had saved her life, given her a child, and shown her real and honest love.  
  
That was more than enough.  
  
She ran to him suddenly, nearly knocking him over with the force of her collision. Always on guard, however, he steadied himself and managed to catch them before they toppled over. Laughing, Bulma looked up into his glaring, confused face.  
  
"I love you." She said, seriousness thick in her voice. Then she laughed again when his frown became even more pronounced. "You couldn't push me away, even if you tried."  
  
A dark eyebrow angled itself at her.  
  
She giggled, waiting. A moment passed and then she flung herself from him, laughing, and headed down the stairs.  
  
"I have work to do!" she called up. Vegeta could hear clanking and clattering. He glared even heavier.  
  
"What is your problem, woman?" He bellowed from the top of the stairs.  
  
She reappeared seconds later, a circuit board in one hand, grease on the other. "Don't come down here!" she said. "This is top secret work I'm performing." She leveled a finger at him. "What you need to do is get showered and go find Arden."  
  
Vegeta put one foot on the next step. "What the hell for?" He was growing curious.  
  
Bulma lunged forward. "I said don't come down here!" She cried, trying to hide her smile. "Now go have a shower."  
  
"Don't you dare tell me what I can and cannot do, Bulma." Vegeta smiled through a malicious glare.  
  
Bulma faltered at the sound of her name. He rarely used it, though he had been using it increasingly more so in the past few days. She knew what it meant.  
  
"Vegeta!" She picked up a wrench from the table beside her and tossed it halfheartedly at him. It hit his chest and bounced off, inflicting about as much damage as a wounded butterfly.  
  
"You can do better than that." He smirked, coming down the steps at a quicker pace.  
  
"Vegeta!" Bulma heard well the whine in her voice. "You're all smelly and you need a shower. I need you to find Arden while I do this. Ask him about a good home for the Roctorns." He made no move to stop his advance, and Kami save her, she didn't want him to. A familiar heat rose up from between her thighs, spreading through her body and transforming into a blush as she thought of the things he could do to her.  
  
Suddenly, he was at the bottom of the steps, reveling in her flushed face, savoring the thick smell of her arousal.  
  
"Vegeta." She said softly, complying, as he wrapped his arms around her waist and assaulted her mouth with a warm, devouring kiss.  
  
"We can't do anything.remember?" Bulma gasped as his mouth left hers temporarily to lend itself to her suddenly waiting breasts. She had no idea what Strifelon had been saying when he had warned her that sex would be the farthest thing from her horny little mind. As Vegeta ground himself against her and licked a hot trail up her collarbone, she wished she hadn't drunk the damn stuff.  
  
"I know." He replied, nibbling on her earlobe. "But I can have some fun."  
  
"Bastard." Bulma gasped, her head swimming.  
  
He really was.  
Four hours later, the invention was finished. Bulma stared proudly down at it, holding it in her hands, turning it over and over as she admired her handiwork and thanked her father's blood running through her veins. It had taken her a long while, but Koru's half was finally finished. She held it up to the light, watching the shine glint off the cool metal as she turned it this way and that. She prayed Koru would like it; she had poured her heart and soul into it.  
  
"A true monument of friendship." She said as she stepped back, setting it carefully on the table. Bending down to retrieve loose chips, she had to re- adjust her bra strap, shaking her head as she thought of the lost 2 hours she had pleasurably wasted with her Prince. He would be her undoing yet. There were more important things to worry about now. She slipped off her gloves and walked up the stairs, trying mentally to prepare herself for her many tasks ahead. When she got to the kitchen she realized the Roctorn's were gone. Spider and Ghost lay together on the mat near the front door, both lifting their eyes and lazily yawning a greeting. They seemed to be getting together a lot better lately. Slapping her gloves down on the counter, she looked around the ship, listening for any signs of the stoic Sayajin. After poking her head in all the rooms, it was clear he had taken the Roctorn's with him, where ever he'd gone. She sighed. Couldn't he have left a note or something?  
  
Suddenly, the pain in Bulma's stomach lurched against her once more, sending her into a nauseous run for the bathroom. She waited a few moments, head bent over the toilet, but nothing came.  
  
It occurred to Bulma that she had no idea -when- Vegeta had gotten her pregnant. They had slept together a few times, but only now she was suffering what seemed like morning sickness. It was far too soon to be having morning sickness, however, and she kneeled back on her heels, thinking. It must be the solution Strifelon had given her only days ago. She sighed and worriedly rubbed her belly. The solution had obviously not left her barren, but it was not over yet. They still had many, many days until this child would be born.she did not know what could happen in those nine months.  
  
She got up with a heavy sigh, slowly, still feeling the effects of her stomach's queasiness. She wouldn't get anything accomplished today by just sitting around by the toilet. Taking a moment to wash her face and clip her hair back, she straightened her clothes and headed for the front door, out to find Vegeta.  
It didn't take her long to find him. All she had to do was follow the ki blasts.  
  
A large boulder to the right of Bulma exploded into tiny fragments only a few feet away. Having basically grown up around a Sayajin, it did nothing to faze her; she was quite used to their short bursts of temper. Now, she watched calmly as Vegeta stormed back and forth, running his hands through his hair, and kicking viciously at random rocks in the R'haksin earth, decimating them.  
  
Bulma understood the situation within seconds. Spider's siblings huddled together in a group, some looking terrified, others looking confused, while some were content to bay and yap happily.  
  
"What are you laughing at?" Vegeta bellowed, walking up to her. He clenched his fists at his sides and glowered his best glower at her.  
  
"Nothing." Bulma said. She couldn't help but put her hand to her mouth and giggle. She shouldn't be laughing, but the whole situation was absolutely hilarious. "Having a bit of trouble with the Roctorns?"  
  
"What did I tell you they'd be since the beginning? TROUBLE!" he yelled.  
  
Bulma waved the matter away with her hand and walked over to the relieved pups. Stogie pushed through them and waggled his way into her arms. "Don't yell. You're scaring them."  
  
"I don't blame these moron's for not wanting them." he snarled, sitting down against one of the few boulders he had not vaporized.  
  
"I don't think it's them, Vegeta." Bulma said wanly. "Maybe it's the fact that you've been terrorizing the landscape for the past hour that's unnerving everybody. You need a lesson in salesman etiquette." She stood up, walked from the pups and approached Vegeta. "Pretend I am the girl that you want to sell something to. You have to be polite to me, or you won't get anywhere at all."  
  
Vegeta smirked at the open opportunity she had left him. "Oh, with you I don't have to be polite. I just have to use my ass."  
  
Bulma glared at him as a blush stained her cheeks. "Work with me here. Now.you want me to think that these Roctorn's will change my life, in a good way." She added quickly. "What would you say to me to get me to buy them from you?"  
  
Vegeta stood still for a moment. Impatient, Bulma put her hands on her hips and frowned at him. "Well, what would you say?"  
  
"What the fuck is a salesman?" He growled. 


	46. Chapter 46: Parting is such sweet sorrow

Chapter 46: Parting is such sweet sorrow  
Authors Notes: Well, this one's a heart breaker. Tissue-alert! It's short, but I hope you guys like it, anyway.  
Jeryn plodded along her mother's side, her small clawed hand nestled within the other Storkrin's much larger one. She was smiling, oblivious to the fact that she was one of the very few Storkrin children with their real mother left. Had she been older than two, she would have been able to comprehend exactly what that meant. Even on a Planet where she would probably not live past the age of 30, due to the fact that she was female, she still found enough reason to fit the grin in with her schedule.  
  
Today was her third birthday. In the mind of a child, that was more than enough reason to smile. She had her mother, Keisha, had been wandering the outskirts of the R'haksin markets, trying to find something suitable for a young Storkrin's birthday gift.  
  
Keisha looked down at her child. As small as she was, she was very important. Born from a womb that had been Fortricres free, Jeryn would not suffer the terrible disease if she continued to keep herself healthy. It was a marvel to live on R'haksin now. The Psytrim were depleting, but while the cure for their disease was leaving them, better things had happened. The arrival of the strange Sayajin Prince and his even stranger Earthling companion had brought about the destruction of every Storkrin woman's biggest fear; The Dungeons. Not only had they been destroyed, but also many of the females within had been released. Besides The Dungeons being destroyed, a new Council had been established, one that seemed to be none too harsh on Storkrin women. It gave Keisha hope for her daughter, once she was gone.  
  
As they walked along, glancing left and right at the usual R'haksin offers, Keisha felt Jeryn's hand slip from her own. The little Storkrin was off and running toward a brightly colored booth. Keisha's heart sank when she realized what it was that her daughter had found.  
  
Cheribulum's. The one thing in this dark, red world that made Jeryn's heart sing. "Mama!" the little Storkrin cried, nearly jumping up and down at the sight of the chirping, fuzzy creatures. "Oh Mama, please? Please can I have one?"  
  
Keisha approached the vender, her giant, clawed hands clenched tightly at her sides in nervous anticipation. In Storkrin rune, the sign said that the price was the equivalent of Earth's 50 dollars. Her heart sank even deeper when she looked sadly down at Jeryn and shook her head.  
  
"I'm sorry honey," She kneeled down beside the small girl, taking her hands, "Mommy doesn't have enough for one of these." She tried to force a smile for her daughter, whose face was rapidly becoming a frown. "Let's look for something else, ok honey?"  
  
Jeryn nodded sadly. "Ok Mommy." She said, rubbing at her eyes as tears formed in them.  
  
Keisha stood, giving a reproachful look at the price sign, and back at the Storkrin vender. He shrugged his shoulders, a cruel grin on his features. "Don't come nosssing around here if you can't take the price." He sneered.  
  
"There a problem?"  
  
Keisha whirled at the sound of the regal voice. Before her stood the Sayajin Prince, Vegeta. Without taking a moment to control her surprise, she pushed Jeryn behind her and fixed her eyes on the ground.  
  
"N-no problem." She stammered, her heart pounding wildly. She stood a full 4 feet taller than the man before her, but she was not about to let her Storkrin pride get the better of her. She'd heard stories, enough stories to know that upsetting this man was not the best idea.  
  
Vegeta looked toward the vender, and back at the Storkrin woman before him. He narrowed his eyes when he saw the tiny form being hidden behind its mother. Bulma stepped out from behind him, trying desperately to control the Roctorn's as they struggled to get ahead of her.  
  
"Vegeta, why did we stop? What's." her voice trailed off as she saw the Storkrin woman and her child standing before them. Giving the reins to Vegeta, she approached Keisha with a friendly smile.  
  
"Did he frighten you?" She asked in a soft voice. Keisha looked up, suspicion in her eyes. "Just between you and me," she said behind her hand, "He's a little scary sometimes, but he's really a softie once you get to know him."  
  
"Woman!" Vegeta barked. "What the hell are you saying about me?"  
  
Bulma laughed, stepping back. "Is that your daughter?" She asked, ignoring her fuming lover. She kneeled down beside Keisha's great legs and tried to see the tiny face hiding behind them. "My name is Bulma." She said with a great smile. "What's your name?"  
  
Inside her chest, Keisha's heart began to calm itself. The woman was the Earthling she'd heard so much about. Judging by the way she had approached Jeryn, there seemed to be nothing to worry about. Her great red eyes flickered over to Vegeta and she immediately felt the fear rise up again. She wasn't sure about him.  
  
Jeryn slowly stepped out. "Jeryn." She said around a mouthful of thumb. "Hi."  
  
Bulma giggled. "That's a very nice name." She said. "What are you two doing today?"  
  
Jeryn pulled her thumb from her mouth and giggled loudly, jumping a bit forward. "It's my birfday!" she lisped. "I'm.this many." She said, holding up three fingers.  
  
"Well!" Bulma said, giving Jeryn a secretive smile. "That's a very special birthday."  
  
"Uh huh!" Jeryn said, giggling some more. Keisha's heart lifted as she watched her daughters beautiful smile find its way back to her face.  
  
"We're trying to find a gift, but the prices are so high." Keisha said very quietly, her eyes still fixed on the ground. She noticed the Roctorns for the first time and jumped, startled at their sudden presence. "Roctorns!" She cried, fearfully grabbing Jeryn and lifting her up into her arms. Bulma blinked, looking back to Vegeta, who just glared sullenly. "Oh.did they frighten you? I'm sorry." She said, gathering the reins back in her hand. "They're actually very tame. We raised them." She said proudly.  
  
"Tame Roctorns?" Keisha exclaimed. "How in the universe.?"  
  
Bulma smiled. "Say." she said, "Jeryn, do you like big, fuzzy animals?" She asked with a wink.  
  
Jeryn's face transformed from one of remote fear to absolute glee. "Yes!" She cried, wiggling her way out of her mother's arms. "I love amimals!"  
  
"Jeryn!" Keisha cried as her daughter ran toward the Roctorn's. She nearly feinted as Stogie approached her and licked her face. Jeryn exploded into giggles, and Keisha visibly relaxed.  
  
"Please," Keisha said, her eyes pleading, "They may be tame, but please do not let my daughter mingle with them. She loves animals so much, it will break her heart to know she can't have them." She said, hurt in her voice, as she bent to gather her daughter back into her arms once more.  
  
"But.there's no price." Bulma said, sounding confused.  
  
"What?" Keisha paused, her hand on Jeryn's arm. "No price.?"  
  
Bulma smiled as she realized the Storkrin's situation. "That's right, no price. As you may have noticed, I am Bulma, the Earthling that accompanied the high Prince Vegeta," She gestured to him, ignoring the suddenly regal change in his posture, "to R'haksin."  
  
Keisha held on to her daughter, hesitation in her eyes. "Pleased.to meet you." She said softly.  
  
"Pleased to meet you as well." Bulma replied. "We are on our way back to Earth, and we have been trying to find a good home for these Roctorn pups, as we can't take them back with us. If it is your daughter's birthday, that's occasion enough. Have them!" She handed the reins to Keisha, who took them hesitantly. "No price."  
  
Jeryn's eyes filled with tears of happiness. "Can we mommy? Can we?" She squealed, her tiny, chubby hands groping at the mass of Roctorn fur. "Please?"  
  
Keisha looked at the Roctorns, at her daughter, and back at the Roctorn's. They milled about her legs happily, sniffing and wagging their tails as she giggled and hugged them one after the other. She hadn't seen her daughter so happy in ages. Suddenly, she felt a lump in her throat.  
  
She looked to Bulma, who was watching Jeryn play with the Roctorns. "It's a shame you're leaving." She said quietly. "It's very difficult to find kind souls such as yours on this desolate planet."  
  
Bulma smiled softly. "Things will get better. The new Council will make sure your daughter has the requirements her life needs. I personally know Arden, and he is a good man."  
  
Keisha smiled, showing her teeth. The effect would have been terrifying, had Bulma not been able to see how kind Keisha was. "They will have a wonderful life with Jeryn." Keisha said. "Thank you very much."  
  
From behind them, Vegeta rolled his eyes and snorted in disgust. Though inside, even if he would never admit it, he felt a strange pride in watching Bulma make the young child so very happy.  
  
"Happy birthday, Jeryn." Bulma said. She smiled at the both of them before turning to go back to Vegeta.  
  
Stogie turned his head at the sound of his master's footsteps. She was walking away from them, and out of habit, he turned to follow. A strange thing happened.he couldn't. Stogie growled in frustration as he strained against the leash, but the small creature holding him would not allow him to follow. He turned his pleading red eyes up to Bulma and cocked his head, confused. What was happening?  
  
It was the moment Bulma had been dreading. She turned to the Roctorns, most of whom were all giving her the same lopsided, but confused, grins. She spread her hands and waved them away. "Go on, Stogie." She said quietly, trying to force a smile on her face. "Its ok. Jeryn will take good care of you."  
  
Stogie whined, thumping his tails on the ground. It must be a game they were playing. It must be.wasn't it?  
  
"You can't come with us, Stogie." Bulma said, trying to talk through the sudden lump forming deep in her throat. "You'll be happy with Jeryn." She walked over to him and kneeled down, laughing through tears as they all jumped to lick her face. "Goodbye." She whispered against Stogie's fur as he nuzzled into her neck. "I'll miss you guys. Be good for Jeryn." She said as she stood. Stogie bayed happily as Bulma's hand remained on his head. Good! They were leaving, now. He couldn't wait to get home and have lunch, he was starving.  
  
Then Bulma turned and walked quickly to Vegeta, who, surprisingly, placed a sympathetic hand on her shoulder. Stogie cocked his head again. What was happening? "It was fun." Vegeta said quietly. Then they began to walk away.  
  
Bulma flinched inwardly as Stogie and the Roctorn's began to howl and whine. Their confused, betrayed barks rose over the clamor of the Storkrin marketplace and wrenched into her heart like a searing blade.  
  
"Vegeta." She sobbed. "I can't.."  
  
"Just keep walking." Vegeta said gruffly, pushing her gently ahead. Bulma could hear the hurt in his voice, though he masked it well. "If you stop, they'll just think you're coming back."  
  
Stogie lurched against the restrains of his leash, digging his heels into the dirt and straining to go after his masters. Why were they walking away, without them? What was going on? Didn't they want them anymore? Keisha's hands held he and his brothers steady, preventing his efforts. He didn't want to stay with these people! Lifting his head to the sky he opened his mouth and let out a long, wailing howl, his front paws in the air, his back legs planed firmly in the ground, as he watched the only parents he'd ever known leave him behind.  
  
And he felt betrayed. 


	47. Chapter 47: Breach

Chapter 47: Breach  
  
Authors Notes: That was a tearjerker, even for bitter 'ol me ^_~ Will Bulma and Vegeta go back for Stogie? Who knows, I might be cruel, I might not be. You'll just have to wait and see. Also, this story isn't going to be nearly as long as everyone thought it was going to be. I think I'm going to be content with 50 chapters, though I promise these next few will be extra long!  
  
Warning: Angst.  
  
~Jesa  
Koru opened the door to see Bulma and Vegeta standing side by side. She smiled at the sight of her friend, and opened the door wide to allow them entrance. "Hello, Bulma! Hi, Vegeta. Come in!"  
  
They obliged, Bulma with a slightly sad smile on her face. "What's wrong?" Koru asked once they were inside. "You don't look very happy." A suddenly worried look crossed over her face. "You're not.its not."  
  
Bulma sighed, shaking her head. She knew what Koru was asking. "Vegeta and I just gave the Roctorn's away." She said. "After you told me that you and Arden wouldn't have time for them, we went searching for somebody. We ended up giving them to a very nice little girl named Jeryn."  
  
"I know Jeryn, and her mother Keisha. They're in good hands with those two. Oh, Bulma." Koru said sympathetically. "That must have been hard."  
  
Bulma lifted her chin. "It was difficult.but it felt good, as well. It was Jeryn's birthday, and her mother didn't have enough money to buy her a pet.so." She shrugged, and a small silence filled the room. Bulma looked around. "You have a nice home, Arden."  
  
Arden grinned, his canines glinting in the firelight. "Thank you." He replied, stepping close to Koru.  
  
A genuine smile crossed Bulma's face as she thought of the tiny ki growing inside her belly. "I suppose I have some news for you." She said suddenly, stretching her hands over her stomach, which had not begun to swell.  
  
Arden stepped out, only heightening Vegeta's discomfort. He was feeling rather 'trapped' at the moment, knowing exactly what it was that Bulma was about to tell them. They hadn't discussed the baby yet, with Bulma still trying to come to terms with it. For the last few days, it had only been soft smiles and whispers at night when they lay together, Vegeta with his hand tucked protectively around her belly. Now, he frowned. Did he want the entire Storkrin race knowing he had sired a half-breed child with an Earthling? He stepped forward to stop Bulma, but she beat him to it.  
  
"I'm pregnant!" She said happily, her hands resting on her belly. "We're going to have a baby."  
  
At first Koru looked unpleasantly startled, but her expression quickly changed to happiness for her friend. "Well!" She said. "That is news!" she drew Bulma into a hug. "Congratulations."  
  
Bulma laughed. Inside, her heart called for Stogie and his brothers; the pain of the separation having been almost too much for her to handle, but the thought of her baby warmed the chill their parting had created.  
  
Behind her, Vegeta crossed his arms and looked away, his eyebrows drawing together in a deep frown. Where did she get off, parading around, telling whomever she pleased? And yet.as he watched her, laughing and pressing her hands gently to her stomach, he felt a barely perceptible smile cross his hardened features. She was beautiful, she was his, and she bore his child within her. It was enough to smile about, was it not?  
  
He felt Arden's clawed hand touch his shoulder. Still glaring, he met the Storkrin's gaze and recognized the mans nod as a sign of respect and compliment. He nodded back. "He will make a fine warrior." He said to Arden. Bulma looked over her shoulder from where she and Koru stood and smiled in that way that always made him melt, though he'd never admit it.  
  
"With you as his father, how could he not?"  
  
For a moment Vegeta had no words to say. Besides their verbal battles, he and Bulma rarely complimented one another. It suddenly occurred to him that what she had just said had struck him deep, but not in the manner that always made him want to tear her head off. His face must have given away his feeling, because he suddenly noticed Koru and Bulma giving him the sort of look that girls huddled together and giggled over.  
  
Mumbling to himself, he turned to follow Arden into their dimly lit living room.  
  
Koru turned to Bulma once they were gone, motioning her to sit. "Bulma, I can't tell you how happy I am for you." She took the woman's hands in her own, smiling with all her glittering fangs. "Do you think everything will go smoothly?" She asked, the smile dissipating slightly.  
  
"Well," Bulma took her hands away and rubbed them nervously in her lap, "That's the thing, I'm not sure. Back on Earth, my friend Chi-Chi is married to a Sayajin, Son Goku. They have a son, his name is Gohan." She said. "Since Chi-Chi is human, we were all worried as to how the delivery would go."  
  
"And?" Koru's eyes widened. She seemed fascinated by Sayajin-Human relations.  
  
"Everything went fine." Bulma replied with a smile. "Gohan was born a healthy Sayajin, his tail intact and with all his fingers and toes. Chi-Chi said it wasn't the -easiest- thing she had ever done, but it was well worth it."  
  
Koru stood up and took some cups out of the cupboards. Bulma watched her, still intrigued by how civilized the Storkrin race was, and how similar to Earth's it sometimes proved to be. "Will your baby be born with a tail, as well?" Koru asked.  
  
Bulma found herself taking a nervous glance toward where Vegeta and Arden had departed. No doubt Vegeta was standing somewhere in the darkened room, his Sayajin senses letting nothing she was saying get by him. She swallowed. "He will." She said softly.  
  
Koru poured Storkrin tea into the two cups and asked the question Bulma was dreading. "What will you do? Will you remove it?"  
  
Bulma knotted her fingers together in her lap. She knew Vegeta would scoff at the idea of removing their child's tail. It was a difficult situation for both of them. On one hand, Vegeta was the Prince of an entire race, be it a dead race, he was the Prince nonetheless. Being the Prince held certain responsibilities, though none really needed to be carried out, seeing as he lived on Earth now and had basically changed his entire life because of it. Yet there was his pride.no son or daughter of his would be seen walking around without a tail. He would be enraged if Bulma ordered the Doctor's to remove it, and would probably resent her forever more. Yet, on the other hand was Bulma's side of the story. She was going to give birth to a Demi-Sayajin whose father was Vegeta, one of the most powerful beings in the universe. It was only natural to worry that her son or daughter would be born with unfathomable powers, which of course led to the fact that if they had a tail, even more unthinkable things would happen every full moon. What mother would want their child transforming into a giant, uncontrollable were-beast who terrorized the city? The damage would be billions, not to mention the danger of the Ozaru possibly trying to kill one of them. She sighed. No, it simply couldn't be done.  
  
"We would probably remove it." She said finally. When Koru asked why, she replayed her previous thoughts to the Storkrin woman. Koru looked relieved to see Bulma's decision was to remove it.  
  
"That wouldn't be a pretty sight at all." She agreed, handing the cup to Bulma, who was grateful for it's warmth; her hands felt chilled.  
  
"How do you feel? I mean, now that you're a healed woman?" Bulma decided to change the subject. Koru leaned over her cup, smiling into the murky water. "Amazing. There hasn't been any side-effects." She lifted her head. "You?"  
  
Bulma half-smiled, half-frowned. "For a while there, I didn't feel very good at all." She took a sip of the tea, cringing a bit at its sour taste. "I'm just so glad that it didn't effect my ability to have children." She breathed.  
  
Koru smiled. "I'm so happy for you two." She said. Both women involuntarily glanced toward the living room. "It's strange." Koru remarked after the silence. "We both met infected with Fortricres, and soon we will both depart, cured, and with husbands." She downed her tea in a single gulp. "It's strange the way things work out, isn't it?"  
  
Bulma nodded her agreement. "That it is. Who ever would have thought I would have ended up with Vegeta, of all people? He's not even human, and he's a Prince to boot." She giggled. "And damn, is he ever good in the sack. I mean, he has the stamina of a thousand men!"  
  
At that very moment, Vegeta and Arden chose to walk back into the kitchen. Bulma and Koru covered their mouths with their hands and tried desperately to cover muffled giggles. Vegeta's face flared with anger and embarrassment, and Arden slapped the Prince on the back, despite the threat of being decapitated for doing so.  
  
"Bulma sssoundsss like a lucky woman." Arden said, joining the laughter.  
  
Vegeta grabbed Bulma's arm and hefted her up from the table, where he led her over to the doorway, listening to her hysterical giggles all the way. "Come on, woman." He said gruffly.  
  
He shut the door to muffled laughter.  
  
"Oh Vegeta, it was just a bit of fun."  
  
They had arrived back at the ship. Bulma was slipping off her shoes and hanging up her coat, still giggling mildly at the memory of Vegeta's expression. "Why should you have been embarrassed anyway? It was a compliment."  
  
"You're such a vile woman." Was his reply. He tossed his coat onto the rack without much care and stalked over to the kitchen. Bulma rearranged his coat and listened to him rummaging around for food.  
  
"Before you scream at me, I know what to do about the food." She called. He reappeared in the doorway, holding a crumple box in his fist. "Do you?" He growled. "It had better be good, woman, because not only do I have a Sayajin appetite, but you are now eating for two."  
  
The words hung in the air between them. Bulma found her hands reaching to her stomach out of habit.  
  
"We.haven't talked much about the baby." She said quietly. Vegeta grunted softly, disappearing back into the kitchen. "Don't you think we should?" She called, following him into the kitchen.  
  
"What is there to talk about?" He growled, tossing empty boxes onto the floor. Bulma watched them crumple and hit the linoleum, and a strange anger came over her. "What is there to talk about?" She cried. Vegeta closed his eyes at the sound of her voice.  
  
"There's tons to talk about!" She suddenly screamed, feeling her anger rise viciously. Who was he to rampage in here and start hollering about food and throwing garbage all over the place? What in Kami's name did he think he was saying? What was there to talk about? How dare he!  
  
Vegeta screwed his eyes tightly shut, feeling his own temper rise. "I'm not in the mood, woman." He growled. Bulma heard the warning in his voice. His gloved hands clenched on the edge of the counter, his stare fixed resolutely ahead of him.  
  
"I don't care if you're not in the mood! You're never in the mood for anything, except sex, which is precisely what has gotten me into this predicament!" She bellowed, walking up behind him. "We are in this together, Vegeta, and you're damn well going to treat me with the respect a pregnant woman deserves!"  
  
Vegeta's jaw clenched tightly. Her shrill voice sent waves of pain through his head, jabbing needles at his sensitive Sayajin hearing. "I said, I'm not in the mood." He managed through his clenched teeth. A vein throbbed at his temple.  
  
Bulma hadn't heard him. She was pacing now, her fists clenched at her sides, her movements jerky and angry. "Did you even -ask- me if I wanted children? Is that all you were using me for, to get your fucking heir from me? Your goddamn PRINCE? I can't believe you, Vegeta! What is there to talk about?" She mocked. "WE ARE HAVING A BABY! That's what we need to talk about!"  
  
He whirled on her, his own fists shaking; his eyes narrowed into two slits of red-hot hate. "You are the one who said we didn't need a condom! It's your fault, woman, and you'll deal with the repercussions! I won't be part of some sniveling half-breed's life!" he roared, drowning out her cries with his rumbling crescendo of sudden rage. "Coming from you, he won't be worth it anyway!"  
  
Vegeta stopped, hearing his words echo through his head. He watched the transformation on Bulma's face happen with frightening speed. The anger, the frustration, and the rage vanished from her eyes like smoke and filled with a hurt that cut him deeper than any look he had ever seen.  
  
He had gone too far.  
  
Shaking, Bulma wrapped her arms around her midsection, her eyes slowly lowering to the floor, wide and awake with shock. Her bottom lip trembled and she furrowed her brows together, spilling the pools of tears that had been gathering in her eyes. He made no move to console her, his pride not allowing him. He had been too soft, all these weeks with her. She'd made him a weakling, and he was not about to revert to apology now. Not any more.  
  
And yet, as he watched her, his pride did not run deep enough to prevent him from knowing he was wrong, and had dealt her a great deal of pain with his words. He wanted to take her in his arms, bury his face in her soft hair, and tell her over and over that he was sorry. Instead, he stood rock hard against the counter, his chin raised, his eyes unfeeling.  
  
"Then. . .I won't burden you." She whispered, her voice dull and lifeless, her eyes dead as they wandered slowly over the patterns on the linoleum floor. "He doesn't need to be born."  
  
Something twisted in Vegeta's gut at her words. "What are you saying, Bulma?" he growled, trying to hide the revulsion in his gut at what he suspected she meant.  
  
She looked up, staring past him, tears pouring from her eyes and pooling at their feet. "He isn't worth it, right? That's easily solved." She said bitterly.  
  
"Don't you dare." he whispered with venom. "It is my child, and-  
  
Vegeta blinked, stunned, as he felt Bulma's hand connect with his jaw with nearly enough force as one of Kakarott's halfhearted attacks. By the sound it had made, he knew she had broken her hand, but she made no move to cradle it uselessly against her body before she was screaming at him again, her words true, her anger powerful, shaming him.  
  
"DON'T YOU DARE SAY THAT!" she wailed, her voice hoarse. "I hate you, Vegeta! I hate you, and I have no more use for you in this life!" she stepped up to him, her body shaking with unrestrained rage, and he let her. "I don't care if you did save my life! You're a selfish, unfeeling bastard with no soul, and I hope for your sake that you never approach me again, because I swear Vegeta, I will make you feel like the pitiful excuse for a man you are!"  
  
He felt himself tense at her words, but said nothing. He was no fool. He knew when he was wrong, pride or not.  
  
"I am having this child, and it will be MY child in every way! Don't you dare try and have anything to do with him!" She sobbed, her voice cracking. "You don't deserve him! You don't deserve ANYTHING!"  
  
He watched, stunned, as she turned from him and stalked to her bedroom. The fine line between going too far had been breached, and he did not know if he would be able to repair it. Some part of him raged at her, wanted to decimate the entire ship, wanted to follow her and scream at her until she felt as worse as he did. Yet another part knew he could not, would not.  
  
"Have I lost her. . .?" He whispered aloud, rubbing his jawline. Surprisingly, it was tender. Had he truly ruined everything he had so tentatively allowed himself to build with her?  
  
For the first time in Vegeta's life, he prayed to Kami. 


	48. Announcement

Just to tell you all:  
  
Updates haven't come because I've been busy packing and preparing for my 3 week trip to Mexico. So, starting on the 24, I won't be making any updates (I won't have a computer) for 3 weeks. Sorry! Updates will come after, though.  
  
~Jesa 


	49. The Bond Strengthens

Chapter 48: The Bond Strengthens.  
  
Authors Notes: I'm back! No, I didnt die in Mexico. I told you, didn't I? I told you I'd finish this story. Here is some good news for all of you who are still (amazingly) reading this story: I've been hit with a massive brainwave; a very nice way to end the story. I have new ideas, that I'm sure will make most of you very happy...and yes! I'm out of my writers block! Where have I been? Well...my computer crashed, one of my friends died, and I have a full time job. Hopefully those explain my lack of updates.  
  
~J. J  
  
Bulma cradled her injured hand against her chest, tears of rage and sorrow coursing down her flushed cheeks. Vegeta's words echoed through her head, as dull and lifeless as her body felt.  
  
"Coming from you, he won't be worth it anyway!"  
  
Bulma's hand clenched, shaking, around her belly that was not yet swollen, but harbored the genes of a man who had wounded her with words more than anyone else in her entire life. She bit down on her lip hard enough to draw blood as she dug her fingers into her belly and shook with supressed fear at the thought: did she want to give birth to a child as malicious as Vegeta?  
  
But no, her child was half of herself, too. It would be a balance. A balance the world had never quite seen. As different as Black and White, she and Vegeta were. Hopefully, that balance would be enough to make her child, male or female, a good person.  
  
"Bastard." She hissed, pressing her face into the pillow. She had thought, days ago, that perhaps Vegeta was a good person. She had foolishly let herself be lulled into a sense of security by her false hopes, and now look where it had left her: full of child and sorrow. Bulma winced as she relaxed her hand from her chest; it was obviously broken. She could already see it bruising when she held it up to the light in her room, watching as it hung useless from her wrist, needles of pain jarring through her arm when she attempted to move her fingers.  
  
It had felt good to hit him, and that frightened her. Didn't she love this man? Didn't he love her? You didn't hurt the one you loved, did you? Or perhaps, even if you did, were you supposed to take pleasure in it?  
  
She sniffled, turning onto her back, as she made her final decision. They would repair the ship and return to Earth, together, but no longer lovers.  
  
She would not let such a man raise her child.  
  
___________  
  
Vegeta sat at the controls of the ship, watching as the lights flickered uncertainly and then burst into brilliancy as the control pannel lit up. He was shaken in his seat as the ship rumbled to life, vibrating through the corridors as the mechanics within cheered at being of use once more. Good. The ship worked, which meant they didn't have to spend any more unecessary time on this forsaken planet. The pleasant though dissipated quickly, however, as Vegeta remembered his words to Bulma from earlier. Closing his eyes in silent fury and pain, he leaned forward and put his head in his hands.  
  
How could he have been so stupid? Just when things were starting to work out, he had started them back at sqaure one. And for what? Pride?  
  
He remembered his father's words from a Kingdom long ago. "Men can break you, Vegeta. They can rape you of your thoughts, your anger, and your soul. They can throw you down the deepest hole and darken your sanity with fear you've never felt. But there is always one thing a man cannot take from you, my son, and that is your Pride."  
  
Once, Pride had been Vegeta's everything. He had been thrown down that deep hole, his mind darkened and his thoughts torn from him. He had been beaten, abused, and discarded, and all the while he had found solace, in that far away corner where he'd locked the door and thrown away the key. His pride had hidden there, safely. He'd called upon it at every crucial and insignificant moment in his life. What it had given him was a recklessness not born of this world. No battle was too difficult, no opponent too strong. The odds were there for him to be in his favor or to be his enemy, and he cared for naught but victory.  
  
Now, it had ruined something he had not realized was so precious.  
  
"Pride is often the maker of fools." Vegeta mumbled aloud to himself as he stood from the Captain's seat and moved to head to the back of the ship. Be he a proud fool or a man already too late, they had to leave. ___________  
  
Bulma's eyes shot open at the knock on her door.  
  
"We're leaving." Vegeta's muffled voice said from the other side of the door. "Get ready."  
  
Bulma had heard the ship rumble to life. She had known Vegeta was angry, but she had not suspected he was angry enough to simply take off without even telling her. Suddenly, her thoughts were filled with Koru and Arden, of Strifelon and Stogie. She couldn't leave without saying goodbye to them. She simply couldn't.  
  
Wincing, and holding her wounded hand to her chest, she got up and walked toward the door. Leaning against it, she considered her words.  
  
"I'm not going without saying goodbye to them." she said simply, struggling to regain her dignity and discard her tears. They were useless, now. No sense crying over a wasted hope.  
  
No sound. Was he still standing there?  
  
Bulma decided she had no time to waste. Didn't care. She yanked open the doorknob to see Vegeta's face on the other side. At the sight of him, her heart sang and sank at the same time.  
  
Vegeta's eyes flickered uncertainly toward Bulma's hand. Noticing his gaze, she raised her chin and let the hand fall to her side, supressing a cringe of pain. "Your hand is broken." he said.  
  
"I hope it wasn't for nothing." She replied cooly, fixing her gaze on his jaw, and the hardly perceptible bruise on his smooth, tanned skin.  
  
He ignored her comment; knowing how well-deserved it was. "You cannot ignore it. Let me." he moved to take her hand, and she stepped back instantly, pressing her back against the door.  
  
The hurt in his eyes, be it only noticable for a split second, didn't prevent her from releasing her venom. "Don't touch me." she whispered, moving her head to the side where she stared with watering eyes down the hall. "Don't ever touch me again." her voice hitched.  
  
Something inside of Vegeta flickered at that moment. Something that he hadn't known was there, but had secretly treasured nonetheless. His eyes sought hers, sought the bond between them, but were denied. She would not meet his gaze.  
  
"Bulma." He steadied his voice. Why was he being so foolish? "There is a bond between us. You cannot pretend it doesn't exist." he paused, watching as bitter tears spilled down her cheeks. "You may hate me, and you may regret me, but the bond will always be there. It cannot be broken."  
  
Bulma sniffed loudly in the uncomfortable silence that followed his words. "I won't let you raise our son." she said, trying desperately to sound resolute. "I won't let you make him a murderous bastard."  
  
Vegeta steadied himself where he stood. Before him, a world of difference stood. A new and unchartered land begged him to tread upon it, and he realized that he felt fear. Where Pride was his companion, Fear was his enemy, and now Vegeta knew he must face it. He had a son. A hier, if a useless one. For what was the point of carrying on a legacy to a Kingdom many years dead? His choices were both difficult ones, and riddled with anxiety. He adored Bulma, no matter how hard he tried to pretend he didn't, and now she held both his love and his son. Could he show her that he did indeed acknowledege that? Could he unlock the door and pocket the key, forsaking his pride for a lifetime of nusiances and pleasantries he knew nothing of?  
  
"You won't kill him." He said it firmly. "You don't have it in you. I knew you were bluffing."  
  
Bulma's crying stopped abruptly, and Vegeta wondered if he had again gone too far. He had been wrong to say the words to her, he knew, but the Ki inside of Bulma was part of him, and he had a say, no matter how little.  
  
She turned to him and at last met his gaze. Her beautiful, tortured eyes locked on his and he unconciously held his breath. "You're right." she said quietly. "I'm not like you."  
  
Vegeta's eyes flashed. "I'm not the man I used to be." his brow furrowed.  
  
Bulma raised her hand and held it to her chest once more. She sighed, letting out a shaky breath. "You scare the shit out of me, Vegeta. You've scared me since the moment I met you, and not in the way you always want to frighten others." She paused, mulling over her next words. "You scare me because I wonder, how can I love a man such as you? How can I love at all, when you've done the things you've done, and said the things you've said? But, most of all. . .how can I give birth to a child that is part of your past? A child whose mind treads upon the same waters that your own does?"  
  
"He is my son." Vegeta said softly, his eyes narrowed. "But he will be his own person."  
  
Bulma swallowed back a cry. She was done with crying. She was done with this man who stood before her, daring to make assumptions after the terrible things he had said to her. She was done with disease, and death. She was done with anger, and sorrow, and frustration. She was done with the aches, the pains, and the confusion. She'd had enough, and if he wouldn't apologise to her now, then it was over.  
  
"I need you to apologise, Vegeta." She whispered, fighting to stop the tears that would not be denied. "I need you to say something nice, to find it deep within you to admit you were wrong. I -need- that, Vegeta, and if you can't give it to me, then I will birth -our- son, but let you have naught to do with his life, nor mine."  
  
Vegeta looked away. "A threat, then. Is that what you offer me?"  
  
Too far. Again.  
  
Bulma rounded on him, her face a mask of incredulous shock and fury. "I offer you a chance!" She cried. "I offer you a chance to allow yourself a glimpse of the beauty you have! For the first time in your life, you have something -really- worth fighting for, and you're a bloody idiot if you can't see that, Vegeta! I offer you a son, a wife, and a long forever with both of them, and still you stand here and hurt me!"  
  
"Bulma, I---"  
  
"You hurt me, Vegeta! You hurt me and you love me, but the problem is, you're so much better at hurting. All you do is hurt! You hurt everything you touch!"  
  
Forgetting her hand, Vegeta took Bulma's wrists gently in his hands and pulled her too him. She went with bitter resistance, but still he held her, as she struggled and hated and loved all at the same, rushing moment. He crushed his face into her hair, struggling to hold onto the one rock in the middle of his torrential river of new emotions. "I know I do." He said through clenched teeth. "Don't you know that's why I warned you? Why I've always been alone?"  
  
Bulma's eyes shot open at his words. "What. . . ?" she whispered, terrified that what she had heard was simply a hope.  
  
Vegeta gritted his teeth and shut his eyes tightly. His father stood before him, a looming, terrible figure of fury and loathing. "You're a disapointment, Vegeta. Nothing but a pathetic, weak shell of a man." his lips curled into a sneer. "And you call yourself a Sayajin."  
  
Vegeta's hands tightened on Bulma's shirt. "I'm not! I'm the Prince! Just let me show you, let me prove to you, Father!"  
  
"Vegeta?" Bulma tried to turn in his embrace, but he held her tight. "What. . . ?" but she couldn't finish her sentence.  
  
A searing pain tore through her body and flayed every nerve in her being, and suddenly Bulma found herself at the mercy of something truly dark and terrible, something Vegeta had hidden from everyone for many bitter, lonely years, and she could only hold on and gasp for air as it took her on a ride through a current of terrible memories and deep, black water.  
  
It was his Soul.  
  
____________  
  
Vegeta scrambled to his feet, a boy of only eight years, but already so full of hate. Blood dribbled from a wound in his lip, and his arm hung broken from his side, but he ignored them and raised his chin, all defiance and pride. Already, at only eight years of age, Vegeta's body had been moulded into corded muscle and strength. Across the room a looming figure stood before him, arms crossed over an impossibly huge frame.  
  
"Weak!" the figure screamed, and Bulma watched from her standpoint in his Soul, as young Vegeta inwardly flinched, though it was hardly a noticable reaction. "Look at you! Pathetic!" the figure spat in Vegeta's direction.  
  
"One more time." Vegeta said quietly. It was not a question, it was an order. "I will prove it to you, Father."  
  
"Prove?" The figure, Vegeta's father, laughed. It was an awful sound, devoid of amusement. "You have proved all you have, my son." he spread armored hands wide before him. "You stand before me a weak, worn out puppet. I will gladly sell you to Lord Freiza."  
  
Vegeta looked down at the floor for a fleeting moment, then raised his head of unruly hair and gave his father a long, hard gaze. "You will not." he said softly, but there was no mistaking the warning in his voice.  
  
"How dare you presume to tell me what I will and will not do!" King Vegeta screamed, stepping forward from where he stood. Bulma jumped, hugging herself as she watched the awful scene unfold. She wanted it to stop, wanted to reach out and take the small, terrified Vegeta into her arms and whisper in his ear, wanted to whisper that somebody -did- love him, and he didn't have to be alone. Yet she was helpless to stand and simply observe, as was her role in this dark tale.  
  
"One more time." Vegeta repeated, shifting his stance to his left foot. His arm swung uselessly from it's socket, the armor torn at the shoulder and hanging in tattered leather rags.  
  
"I will oblige." The King said, and the cruelty in his words chilled Bulma to the very center of her heart.  
  
The battle was over within moments, as Bulma knew it would be. She shuddered as she looked upon the man she loved, only a boy, struggling to regain his footing in a slippery pool of his own blood. He could no longer stand, and it was a wonder that he was even alive. The King had shown him no mercy, yet for all that he had given him, the young Vegeta managed by a miracle of his own willpower, to brace himself and lift his unwilling legs into a standing position.  
  
Blood pooled from his mouth as he struggled to speak around a mouthful of fluids, and no words would come. Bulma sobbed at the brutality of the situation, screaming, for she could do nothing.  
  
The King turned to leave. "Get out of my sight. If you are not dead by morning, I may come for you again." he waved his hand in a haughty manner.  
  
Vegeta lifted his head, a swollen mass of bruises and savage wounds. His shoulders heaved with his laboured breaths, and he coughed, dislodging a clot of bloody tissue from his mouth. Wiping his mouth with his good arm, he stepped forward and, amazingly, started to follow the King. "Wait." he said, his voice hoarse.  
  
The King tensed, turning only slightly. "What do you want." he sounded exapserated, though there was a slight hint of perverse curiosity in his voice.  
  
Vegeta stopped, only inches from his Fathers back. Shuddering, he drew his body up into a full standing position, and raised his head, his entire form quivering from the excruciating pain that it took to hold his posture. "One. . . more. . . time." he said, his breath wheezing from bruised, battered lungs.  
  
The King turned, a smile more chilling than anything Bulma had ever seen plastered to his face. He brought up his hands and undid the clasps on his cape, letting it fall to the floor. He reached out and took hold of Vegeta's face, violently yanking it forward to stare into his son's cold, unforgiving eyes.  
  
"That's my boy." He whispered through clenched teeth.  
  
Bulma screamed.  
  
* * *  
  
Vegeta collapsed onto the floor of the ship, letting go of whoever he had been holding onto. His back slid down the wall and he panted, staring ahead fixedly at a vision only he could see. Bulma lay crumpled in his arms, her fingers clenched around his thick neck, digging into his hair.  
  
"I didn't know." She whispered. Tears coursed down her cheeks. "I. . . had no idea."  
  
It took a full twenty mineuts for Vegeta to return to the current plain of existance. There had been many more similar visions, some so terrible Bulma was almost angry for him showing her. He had been in a afaraway place, a place that he had not returned to for many years. His door had been unlocked, and all for Bulma. It was his way of explanation, and it was more than explanation enough. She clung to him and sobbed, saying that she was sorry over and over, not caring if it was pity he wanted or not. No child, Sayajin or Human, deserved such brutality.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me?" She asked, her face pressed against his chest.  
  
"It is part of the bond." He replied, his voice strained. "You can see into my Soul, Bulma. As I can see the pain in yours, as well."  
  
She lifted her head. "You can see into. . . my soul?" she asked, her voice alive with sudden wonder. "What do you see?"  
  
Vegeta looked into her eyes for a moment, then looked away. Bulma could almost see the barrier reconstructing itself before her very eyes. He had presented himself to her fully, never before had he been so vulnerable. It was the first time that she understood why. The first time that she did not become angry with him for being cold.  
  
And he had done it all for her. She fought back tears of joy.  
  
"I will see only if you choose to show me." He replied, stroking her hair without realizing he was doing it.  
  
"Vegeta." She touched his chest lightly. "Thank you."  
  
Vegeta's suspicion flare anew. Bulma could see what he was unconciously asking. "What you did to me was wrong, Vegeta. You hurt me very badly, and I'm not sure if I can forgive you, yet. But. . . what you just did for me, here. . ." she looked up into his face. "It means a lot to me."  
  
Vegeta couldn't say he was disapointed. He knew Bulma wouldn't forgive him, at least not yet. Instead, he took her injured hand in his.  
  
"We can talk about it later, woman." He said. "Right now, there are things to be done. You should see Strifelon about this." he said, lightly holding her wrist with a tenderness she hadn't thought possible. Bulma recognized the wounded look in his eyes that she had seen only a sparse few times. It vanished quickly, but she knew what it meant.  
  
"I hit you of my own accord, Vegeta." She said softly. "It's not your fault my hand is broken." She said wryly.  
  
Vegeta stood, and moved to help her up off the floor. "Come on" he said gently. "I can't have you walking around all day with a broken hand. Who will cook for me?"  
  
Bulma found herself smiling, in spite of the traumatic events that had transpired. "Shut up!" She countered. "I thought you hated my cooking, anyway."  
  
Vegeta shrugged. "I suppose it's not that bad. If you like rat poision."  
  
Bulma laughed. It was a good sound, and a good feeling. She leaned into Vegeta as they walked down the hall. His arm snaked around her middle, and she felt his fingers resting on her belly. A feeling swelled within her, and she smiled at it's meaning.  
  
Everything would be OK. 


	50. Chapter 49: Goodbye's

Chapter 49: Goodbye's  
  
Authors Notes: Well, I'm updating again. I just have to point something out: I know that Vegeta was five (I think. . . or was it 15?) when Vegetasei was destroyed, but I wrote him being eight years old in the flashback. Why? Because I wanted a semi-pre-pubescent Vegeta to appear to Bulma. I didn't want him to be -that- young. I know I shouldn't mess around with the DBZ timeline, but I already have, and. . . well, I say: Meh. If someone doesn't like that, sue me. It's my fanfic and I'll do whatever the heck I want to with it. ;) I'm sure you're all too happy that I'm updating again to be mad at me, anyway.  
  
I know I'm also messing up the titles and numbers of some of my chapters. Hopefully that doesn't bother anyone too much.  
  
P.S Thanks for all the nice reviews! (Bulmachick05...nice words! thank you!) I'm glad some of you are still loyal to me! And after I made you wait so long, too!  
  
Well, enjoy!  
  
Yes, Bulma decided. They would get through this. Everything -would- be OK.  
  
The sun was quickly setting on R'haksin, which signalled that their time was running out. They were not on a schedule, but Bulma and Vegeta both knew that they needed to return to Earth as quickly as they could. Bulma hadn't thought about her Home in a long while, and now she found she was more than eager to return to her family and friends.  
  
So many things had happened. How could she ever tell Chi-Chi all of it? She knew her friend would be estatic to see her, and even more estatic to know what had transpired on the strange planet known as R'haksin. Bulma's life had changed, and she knew there would be no getting out of it with Chi-Chi. She would want to know every last detail, no matter how ugly, and Bulma would be more than glad to tell her.  
  
As Bulma kneeled beside Spider and Ghost, securing her knapsack around her shoulders, preparing to leave, her thoughts wandered to Yaumcha. What would he think, when he saw his once ago girlfriend emerge from a spaceship, wrapped in the arms of a man who had tried to kill them and decimate the planet? Better yet, how would he possibly react when she broke the news to everyone? She went over it in her mind. Maybe she would sit everyone down around the coffetable in the Brief's living room. Her mother would have cakes made. Bulma giggled at the thought of Piccolo snacking on a pink sugary treat while she stood up and announced, in a completely nonchalant tone; "By the way, I'm pregnant with Vegeta's son. Just thought I should tell you all."  
  
"What are you laughing about?" Vegeta's annoyed voice broke through her daydream. She stood up beside him, watching him as he zippered up his jacket. He had demanded that he go with her to Strifelons. There was no way that she was going alone, anywhere. It seemed to Bulma that since she had become pregnant, Vegeta's attentions had become much more tender and protective, rather than sexual and mischevious. She couldn't claim to dislike it.  
  
"I was just wondering how I'm going to tell everyone that I'm pregnant." She said softly.  
  
Vegeta looked tired. She couldn't blame him; the mental effort it must have taken him to open up his Soul to her like that must have been exhuasting. Despite the fact that she was still a bit distraught and more than a bit angry with him, she put a hand on his shoulder and tried to smile. "I can't very well hide it from anyone."  
  
Vegeta moved away from her touch. He was much colder than he was in the last few days, but for once, Bulma understood why. "Are you going to tell that weakling boyfriend of yours that he had better stay the hell away from you?" he growled. "You are mine, now. If he touches you, I'll kill him."  
  
Bulma knew it to be more than a threat. She sighed, exasperated. "Vegeta, things are a lot different now. I'm not 'yours' you know. I'm not anyone's property. We're together, you and I, but I am still my own person. You do not 'own' me." She ignored the look on his face. "Yaumcha and I were over long ago, you know that. There's no reason for you to carry on like this." she paused. "I don't know how he'll react, but however he does, you most certainly cannot kill him."  
  
Vegeta's eyes flashed angrily. "If he touches you, I will!"  
  
"Yaumcha is an asshole, but he is still my friend. He has it in him to be a good person." She hiked her pack up higher on her shoulders and opened the door. "He is allowed to touch me in a friendly manner."  
  
Vegeta took up pace beside her, Spider trotting alongside, easily taller than both of them. The sun had almost set behind the mountains, and Vegeta raised his Ki a tiny bit to give off a bit more light. Bulma jumped a bit at the sensation, but easily relaxed into it. It was comforting, somehow. "And what exaclty is a 'friendly' manner?" he growled.  
  
Bulma rubbed at her temple with her one good hand. "Vegeta, I don't want to get into this right now. Can you just ditch the jealous act and be quiet for a bit?"  
  
Grumbling, Vegeta obliged, much to Bulma's surprise. It took them but a few moments to walk to Strifelons. Bulma could feel joy swelling in her breast at the idea of meeting up with all of her friends again. She hadn't truly realized just how much they meant to her. She swallowed hard at the lump in her throat when she remembered that she was coming here to say goodbye.  
  
__________  
  
"It hasss been an adventure, yesss?" Strifelon said as he pulled away from Bulma's embrace. "You have come a long way, my dear."  
  
Strifelon's house, be it dark and damp, always seemed cozy to Bulma. Perhaps it was because it was so very different from the bulidings on Earth that she was drawn to it. Smiling, she walked toward the table and undid the clasps on her knapsack, setting it down. "I have, haven't I?" She said aloud as she began to take small contents out of the pack. "I came here thinking I was going to die. Instead. . . I meet some of the nicest people I've ever known in my lifetime."  
  
Strifelon's lips drew back to reveal his yellowed, razor sharp teeth. "I knew you were different, child, sssince the moment I sssaw you." He leveled at bony finger at her, his claw crooked. "Now, tell me what it isss that you have in mind." he nodded to her pack.  
  
Vegeta stood by the doorway, watching Bulma carefully as she undid the plastic lid to a small tupperware container. His eyes narrowed as he wondered at what it was she was getting at.  
  
"Remember I asked you about soil samples?" Bulma asked, holding the container to her chest. "Well, I brought this here to take some. I thought you would have some advice for me, or maybe some samples of your own that I could take back, for scientific purposes."  
  
Strifelon's face visibly tensed at the mention of the soil samples. "I thought I told you I wasss not comfortable with the idea." He said simply, turning his back as he walked into the adjoining room where he kept his assorted vials and contraptions. Bulma watched his stooped back as he shuffled around through cabinets and cuppoards. "I do not want any trouble for our Planet." he said softly.  
  
Bulma made a hopeful face as she watched him remove a small, rusted jar. "I give you my solemn promise that I won't bring attention, publicity or trouble to R'haksin." she said softly. "It would be the chance of lifetime for your race, Strifelon."  
  
He turned to her, the cowl of his hood pulled up around his head. He clutched the rusted jar and leveled a curious look to her, his golden red eyes narrowed. "How do you propossse?" he asked.  
  
"I told you before, my Father is the head of a wonderful team of very intelligent Scientists. I would convince my Father to keep the studies confined to our labratories and ours alone." she paused, giving him a reasurring smile. "My father is a good man. You can trust him, you can trust me. . . " she looked over her shoulder at Vegeta. "And you can trust him."  
  
Strifelon smiled again, that curious old-man grin that Bulma loved so much about him. "Him, yesss." he said, watching Vegeta as the Sayajin grew more uncomfortable with each passing moment. "He hasss changed more than he caresss to admit."  
  
Vegeta gave Strifelon his best 'I'm going to brutally disembowel you' glare. "What do you know, old man?" he crossed his arms and leaned more into the shadows.  
  
Strifelon winked at Bulma. "I know that a man and hisss Pride are not easssily parted."  
  
Vegeta's face paled for a split of a milisecond, before he resumed his glower. Bulma and Strifelon pretended not to notice, for the Prince's sake.  
  
"Now." Strifelon shuffled over to Bulma and handed her the jar. "I do hate to disssuade a young Ssscientissst from furthering her career." He smiled at her as she took the jar. "There are many small bitsss of the Psssytrim in this jar. Hopefully, with your sssoil sssamplesss, it will be enough."  
  
Bulma smiled and put the jar carefully into her backpack. "It's more than enough, Strifelon. Thank you! You won't be sorry, I promise!"  
  
Strifelon shrugged, making a muttering noise that brought a smirk to Vegeta's lips. "I hope not, for both of our sssakesss." He said as he pulled out a chair to sit in. "Now, what let me sssee about that hand."  
  
Vegeta's grin disipated, and Strifelon felt the immediate tension in the air between the Prince and the Earthling. Being tactful, he was careful not to say the wrong thing as Bulma sat across from him and gently moved her hand toward him. Strifelon eyed the darkening bruise with hidden discomfort, and avoided asking the question that would ultimately upset the mood.  
  
"I accidentally slammed it in the doorway when I was working in the basement." Bulma said softly, saving him the trouble. She ignored looking at Vegeta as she said the words. "It hurts quite a bit. Is there anything you can do about it?"  
  
"I can mend it." Strifelon said, a bit indignantly. "And I can give you a sssalve to apply, to eassse the throbbing." he lifted a thorny eyebrow as they made eye contact. "You mussst have ssslamed the door quite hard." Bulma's face contorted into a mask of embarrasment, shame, anger, and sorrow at the Storkrin's words. She pulled her hand away and put them in her lap, staring at them where they lay. Time ticked by uncomfortably, before Bulma gaped in open-mouthed astonishment as Vegeta approached the table and said the words that most definetely changed Strifelon's perception of the Prince forever afterward; "She broke it slamming me in the face, old man. She got a bit fiesty when I said I wouldn't eat her cooking if it was the last edible morsel in the universe." he smirked, ignoring the way Bulma sputtered. Strifelon eyed the Prince for a moment, and something unseen passed between the two.  
  
"I hope it wasss not in vain, then." Strifelon said at last, after a barley perceptible nod from the Prince. He reached for Bulma's hand again as she tried unsucessfully to smile. Strangely, she could feel tears swelling up in her eyes. Damnit! She didn't want to cry, not here and now. Lately she had been an uncontrolable rollercoaster of emotion, helpless to take the reins and pull herself back in. Why had Vegeta said that? Was he trying to bait her? Was it his own strange way of stepping into the apology circle?  
  
She lifted her eyes to him as Strifelon stood up to get gauze and medical supplies from the other room. Vegeta's dark eyes were lowered, but not enough that she couldn't look at him.  
  
For you.  
  
She gasped aloud as she heard the words spoken in her mind. It had been Vegeta's voice, she was sure of it. Strifelon returned to the table with gauze, salve and a contraption that Bulma didn't recognize. Without giving her time to think, he gently took her hand and began to slowly wrap gauze around her palm, over and over until it was nice and thick. He secured it with a pin.  
  
"The sssalve ssshould take away sssome of the pain. You will have to wait until you return to Earth to receive proper medical attention." Strifelon said, settling back into his chair. "You will need much medical attention, my dear. Much."  
  
Bulma nodded, feeling the tears returning again. She still couldn't make sense of the words she had heard inside her head. Vegeta was ignoring her again, staring off into the corner where he had wandered to. She met Strifelon's eyes and tried to smile. "Yes. I will. Thank you Strifelon, for everything you've done for me." she sniffled. "I've. . . come to say goodbye."  
  
"I know, Bulma." Strifelon said softly, standing up from the table. He held his arms out to the Earthling, who walked into them easily. Bulma wrapped her arms around his thick torso and put her head gently into his chest. She held on to him and cried much the same way a small child would embrace a beloved Grandfather. Vegeta had the tact at least, to make a graceful exit. Bulma hardly noticed him leave as she hugged Strifelon tight.  
  
"You've done so much for me." She said. "I couldn't have done any of this without you."  
  
Strifelon smiled. "You are a ssstrong woman, Bulma. You did mossst of it yourssself." he stroked her hair and then pulled away. "Take care of yourssself, and your baby."  
  
Bulma's eyes widened and she gasped, looking up at him. "How. . . ? Did Koru or Arden tell you?"  
  
Strifelon winked at her. "One knowsss many thingsss, when you are thisss old." he lifted her chin as she started to sniffle. "You are ssscared, are you not?"  
  
"I don't know what Vegeta will think. I've told him. . . but he's never had a child. He's never. . . he's never done any of these things. It's very new to him, and very frightening. Sometimes, I don't think he knows how to cope."  
  
Strifelon held her at arms length and smiled, the wrinkles in his face deepening. "Vegeta isss a proud, ssstubborn man, but he isss no fool. He knowsss what he hasss. He would not be ssso foolisssh asss to let it go."  
  
Bulma let a trickle of hope flood into her. She smiled, wiping at her eyes. "I think so, too." she sighed.  
  
"Now, child. Take care of yourssself, and do not be afraid. You will remember me, yesss?"  
  
"Of course I will! How could I forget any of you?"  
  
Strifelon smiled. "It hasss been an adventure, indeed."  
  
___________  
  
Koru opened her door to Bulma with a look that both of them knew. She smiled, instantly pulling Bulma into a hug. "I know why you're here." She said softly, rubbing Bulma's back. "I've never been one for sappy goodbye's. . . but I'll try."  
  
Koru had known Bulma was coming to say goodbye. It was a sort of internal Storkrin instinct that had let her know her friend's motives. She had been sad, truly sad, at the prospect of saying goodbye to Bulma, the only friend she had ever known, but she was also filled with joy. So many things had happened since the strange Earthling had survived, things both terrible and wonderful. Bulma was going to have a baby, and had found Love. For this, Koru smiled for her.  
  
Bulma pulled away from the warm woman's embrace. "I just came from Strifelon's. He let me take some soil samples."  
  
Koru grinned. "You would have taken them anyway."  
  
Bulma giggled. "You're right." She noticed Koru looking at her hand. For a moment, she was going to tell her that she had slammed it in the door, when she remembered how Vegeta had owned up to it. "Vegeta and I had a little tiff." she said in explanation. "I whacked him good."  
  
Koru laughed. "Looks like you did! Good thing he's a Sayajin, and strong enough. Although by the look's of it, you must have left a mark! Are you alright?"  
  
"I'm fine." Bulma said, laughing now. "And to think I'm merely a 'lowly woman". She took off her knapsack. "I have something to give you, Koru."  
  
Koru raised an eyebrow. "You have given me enough, Bulma." she paused. "Is it cheese?"  
  
Both the women erupted into laughter at the mention of the picnic they had made Vegeta endure. It had brought out happiness in all of them, even the stoic Prince. "Vegeta's waiting outside." Bulma said. "I told him. . . that I wanted to say goodbye to you alone."  
  
Koru nodded. "I would like to say my thanks to him." she said. "He has helped me."  
  
Bulma sighed, following the Storkin woman toward the table. "Vegeta isn't very good at open thanks or emotion. You sure you want to talk to him?" she lowered her eyes. "He's a bit. . . sour right now."  
  
Koru placed a hand on Bulma's knee. "Are you two doing alright?"  
  
Bulma found that the smile came easily to her face. "Yes." She said slowly, aloud to herself. "We are. I thought that for a moment there, we wouldn't be. But. . ." she looked toward the doorway where she knew Vegeta waited outside. "He's changed."  
  
"I hope for the better." Koru said with a wink.  
  
Bulma straightened in her chair. "How about you and Arden?" she asked. "How are you two doing?"  
  
Koru seemed thouroughly embarrased as a blush crossed over her stony cheeks. "We are. . . doing more than alright." She said softly, behind her hand. "Arden is wonderful."  
  
Bulma smiled. "I'm so happy for you, Koru. You deserve him. You deserve everything."  
  
A silence filled the room between the two women, but not the sort that made a pair uncomfortable. It was a wise silence, a knowing silence that let both the women sit comfortably in their chairs as pleasantries drifted through their minds.  
  
Yes. Bulma thought. So many things -have- happened. . . and most of them have been for the better.  
  
She lifted her suddenly sad eyes to her friend. "I don't want to say goodbye to you, Koru." She sniffled.  
  
Koru gave her a sympathetic smile. "Nor do I want to wish you farewell, Bulma. You have been my only friend, and I would love to cerish you here. . . but you have so many things waiting for you. Your home. Your family, and friends." she paused. "A man who truly loves you. And a wonderful new life within. I wish that there was some way we could stay in touch."  
  
At that, Bulma smiled. She reached toward her knapsack and removed the object she had been working on for the last few weeks. "I think I may be able to arrange that."  
  
"What is it?" Koru asked in wonder, taking the small mettalic object carefully into her clawed hands.  
  
"A communicator." Bulma replied proudly. "I built it myself, with some spare parts. I have the other half of it. Through it, we can communicate to one another."  
  
Koru looked baffled. "All the way from Earth?" she asked, incredulous. She turned the object over and over in her hands, inspecting every inch of it.  
  
"Yep." Bulma nodded. "Neat, isn't it? My father showed me how to make them. It's not too complicated. Here, I'll show you how to work it."  
  
Koru learned fast. Within moments, she had the communicator turned on and in working order. She smiled as she held it to her chest, as though it were a precious treasure. "This means so much to me, Bulma. I'll be able to talk to you, whenever I want."  
  
"If it malfunctions, Strifelon should be able to help you." Bulma said. She sighed, thinking of the time. "I don't want to go, Koru. . . but Vegeta and I need to do some small repairs on the ship before we go, and. . . "  
  
Koru smiled. "What a wonderful goodbye present, Bulma. I wish I had something to give you."  
  
"Like you said, Koru. You've given me enough."  
  
Koru smiled.  
  
__________  
  
Outside, it was dark enough that Bulma took a moment to find Vegeta. He was sitting crosslegged on the ground, his knees pulled up and his arms resting over them. Bulma knew that he knew she was watching, but she couldn't help but stand and admire the strange man she had come to Love.  
  
Vegeta gave no indication that she was bothering him. He seemed to be in a trance-like state, and for a moment, Bulma wondered if he -did- know she was there. The hot, dry wind blew through his upsweep of hair. His jacket, half open, flapped gently in the breeze, giving Bulma a quick peek at his muscular chest. The last fading rays of the sun had found their way across R'haksin and gently caressed his face, giving his skin a faded, crimson look. She smiled and approached him.  
  
"Cold?" She asked as she came to a stop beside him. She stood, one hand holding her elbow as she let her injured hand lay against her cheek. The wind blew through her hair as well, and she turned her face toward the sky, staring at the stars.  
  
"Hn." Vegeta replied, a short noncommittal grunt. He looked down, his face seemingly at an unease. "Sayajin's do not get cold."  
  
Bulma found herself laughing. "Right, because only 'weakling' Humans do, right?" she closed her eyes as the breeze washed over her heated skin. "Well, I'm not cold, and I'm Human."  
  
"You are a fool." Vegeta replied softly. "You do not know what you get yourself into."  
  
"You did not give me much warning."  
  
"Reckless."  
  
Bulma turned her face down to him, her hair falling around her features. She narrowed her eyes, a curious smile on her face. "Me, reckless? I do not rush into battles headfirst, with no regards as to what may happen."  
  
Vegeta snorted. "Are you saying I do?"  
  
"I am saying that."  
  
He smirked. "I rush into battles because I win them." he said quietly.  
  
"There are some battles that cannot be won, Vegeta." Bulma whispered. "There are some times. . ." she paused and put a hand on his forehead, letting her fingers dance along his hairline, softly running through his hair. "When you simply have to accept what is, and go along with it."  
  
Her words hurt him, and terrified him, because he knew their worth. "I always win." he replied, so softly that Bulma had to strain to hear him.  
  
Bulma let the question hang in the air a moment before she asked. "Will you win this battle?"  
  
For a moment, she wasn't sure if she would get an answer, and for a moment, she wasn't sure if she wanted one. Maybe it would just be best, just be for the better, to simply stand and listen to the nothingness around them. Watch the rays vanish behind the mountains. Listen to the distance waves of the rivers. Watch the stars as they moved and passed between one another, never changing themselves, yet always changing the paths of others. Maybe, just for a moment, they could be like this, and nothing would matter, and no one would worry, and no baby would kick at her and remind her of her headfirst rush into darkness with a man she knew nothing and yet everything of. Maybe. . .  
  
And then, just as she was beginning to lose hope, when she was ready to turn around and return to the ship, return to sleep without unanswered questions, Vegeta did something that made her stay. Without saying a word, he gently lay his head against the side of Bulma's leg, letting her hands dift into his hair.  
  
And then, Bulma got her answer.  
  
And it was perfect.  
  
______________ 


	51. Chapter 50: What is there now?

Chapter 50: What is there now?  
  
"Are you sure everything's in working order"  
  
Bulma peered curiously as she leaned over Vegeta's shoulder, who shot her a withering glare. "Of course it is. Do you think everything would be blinking and flashing if it wasn't?" he sighed. "I thought you would know, after all, aren't you the Scientist?"  
  
Bulma pouted. "Well excuse me if I don't want something to malfunction while I'm on this thing, and get stuck floating around in space, pregnant."  
  
Vegeta gave her a look that Bulma couldn't quite decipher. He had been giving her a lot of those looks lately. She felt her hands unconciously rubbing at her stomach, nervously. The tension between the two of them had lessened somewhat over the last few hours, but was still present. It was their last day on R'haksin. Dawn was just breaking over the mountains, and Bulma found she wasn't entirely OK with the rumbling of the ship beneathe her feet. She put a hand on the Captain's seat to steady herself, swallowing back an uneasy feeling that suddenly washed over her.  
  
"What's wrong?" Vegeta grunted, moving closer to her.  
  
"N-nothing." Bulma replied shakily. Of course, trying to lie to Vegeta was as easy as trying to get Goku to understand physics. She sighed at the look on his face. "Alright. . . so it isn't 'nothing'." she made a face as another wave of nausea rolled over her. She briefly wondered if Chi-Chi had felt this sick this early in her pregnancy with Gohan. "I think it's morning sickness."  
  
Vegeta shifted uncomfortably from where he stood. He still wasn't entirely comfortable with talking about the baby, but the concern on his face wasn't hard to spot. Bulma smiled and made herself let go of her stomach. "I'll be alright." She said, trying to reasure him. An uneasy Vegeta made for a difficult time. "Thank you for your concern."  
  
He 'humphed' at her, the turned back toward the controls. It was amazing how much he seemed to know about the ship, considering how he could hardly get a toaster to function. Bulma watched as he pressed buttons and moved levers to their desired spot.  
  
"How many times have you flown a ship, Vegeta?" She asked softly. "Did you fly many times on Vegetasei?"  
  
Vegeta's mouth turned up in a bitter smirk. "You forget, I purged planets for a living. I've traveled in many a ship." surprisingly, he turned to her with a completely frown-free face. "This ship is child's play compared to Freizas. In both size and difficulty. It's like flying a toy." his ebony eyes flickered around the room.  
  
Bulma made a face. "My father builds excellent ships." She reprimanded.  
  
He smirked, only furthering her aggravation. "I'm sure he does."  
  
She sighed. "I don't have the time or the energy to argue with you right now." she turned to move away, but her knees decided that they wouldn't have any of that. Vegeta caught her in his arms before she slid to the floor. Her legs shook like jello.  
  
It was the first time he had touched her in hours. They had slept together, but each huddled over on their side of the mattress, wanting to touch one another but terrified to. Bulma looked up at him slowly from beneathe her lashes. "I. . . guess I'm worse than I thought I was." she said, finding it an effort to even speak. Why did she feel so weak, suddenly?  
  
Vegeta smoothly lifted her into his arms with a gentleness not born of him. "Idiot." he cursed her as he walked her to the back of the ship. "You shouldn't even be up."  
  
Bulma muttered incoherently in his arms as he carried her down the hall and toward the bedroom. "You're going to sleep now, woman, and you're not going to come out of this room until I tell you you can." Vegeta said. He kicked open the door, Spider scuttling out of the way. It was a wonder that the huge Roctorn even fit inside the room anymore. Ghost sat on the bed and perked up his ears at the sight of his master as Vegeta knelt beside the bed and lay Bulma upon it slowly. Taking extra care to tuck the covers in around her, Vegeta powered up slightly, adding his warmth to her. Ghost chirped, startled at the sudden energy.  
  
Satisfied, Vegeta straightened. He was about to leave the room when Bulma's hand reached out from beneath the covers and grabbed his. He turned and looked down at her. "You'll stay where you are, woman." he growled softly, an underlying tenderness in his voice. "Do you understand?"  
  
Bulma smiled, her eyes half-lidded. "You do care about me." she whispered before falling almost completely asleep. Her eyes closed and her hand fell onto the blankets. Some hair fell across her forehead as she shifted, already in slumber.  
  
Vegeta stared at her for a long moment. Of course I care about you. He said to himself, sure that she was too far gone in slumberland to hear his thoughts. More than you could ever know.  
  
As the door clicked shut behind him, Bulma cracked an eye open. She smiled, allowing her heart to swell with happiness.  
  
"I knew it." She whispered aloud to the darkness.  
  
_______________  
  
Strifelon was not sure what to make of the Prince's visit. Vegeta stood outside the Storkrin's doorway, peering down into the darkness. His hands were stuffed deep in the pockets of his jacket, his face set in a troubled frown.  
  
"What isss it, Prince?" Strifelon asked, opening his door further. Vegeta eyed the entry, but refused the offer. The cold morning air blew his hair around in the wind, tossing the flaps on his jacket. "I'm not good with. . . these sort of things." He managed, making an awkward face. Strifelon waited patiently for the Prince to find his words. It took a long moment; Vegeta pacing back and forth in a troubled manner. "I. . . wanted to thank you. For what you've done for Bulma." he said at last. "I know it was I who saved her, ultimately. I want no mistake about that. However. . . " He paused, his mouth working to put words to his thoughts. "You brought happiness to her. For that, I thank you."  
  
Strifelon smiled. "It wasss a pleasssure." He said after a long moment. "Jussst be sssure that you treat her well, Prince." he pointed a claw at Vegeta. "You have found a rare jewel in Bulma. Make no misstake about that."  
  
Vegeta smirked. "I think at last, old man, we understand one another."  
  
Strifelon grinned.  
  
______________  
  
Bulma's eyes fluttered as she came awake. Vegeta was kneeling by her bed, his ebony eyes unreadable. He nudged her gently. "We're leaving." He said. "Is there anything you wanted to do before we go?"  
  
Bulma sat up. It took an effot, but Vegeta was there to help. He gently put one hand on the small of her back and cradled her into an upright position. Bulma found tears welling in her eyes at his tenderness. Perhaps being pregant was not going to be as bad as she thought it would be.  
  
"I. . . I'd like to see the planet. One last time." She said softly, looking at him. "Or am I allowed to get out of bed yet?" she asked with a grin.  
  
Vegeta's eyes narrowed. "I suppose. After all, you need to cook me breakfast." he said at last, a smirk winding its way onto his features. "Even though I dread it." his smirk vanished as a serious thought seemed to make its way to him. "You feel well enough?"  
  
"Vegeta," Bulma put a hand on his, ignoring the flinch from him. "I've only been pregnant for a few days. I'm not going to shatter into millions of tiny pieces of glass, you know."  
  
He frowned. "You carry my son within you." He said, his voice strictly serious. "I'll not have you engaging in any stupid human antics to endanger him."  
  
"A son?" Bulma asked in wonder. "How do you know?"  
  
Vegeta snorted. "I'm not stupid, woman." he stood up. "Now are you coming or not?"  
  
"Yes." She said, her thoughts alive with the idea of a baby boy. How did he know these things? She supposed she would never know, and it would do her no good to obsess over it. He wouldn't tell her, anyway. "I'd like to watch us take off."  
  
__________________  
  
It was brilliant.  
  
Vegeta eyed Bulma curiously as she sat in the chair opposite him, strapped in securely. Her hands were balled tightly in her lap, her brilliant turqoise eyes fixed resolutely ahead. The ship rumbled beneath them, the vibrations sending curious but not entirely unpleasant shudders through Bulma's body. The seat below her rumbled as the ship jolted to life. Steam screamed from the doors that closed all around the ship's perimeter, and Bulma clutched the armrest with her one good hand. Excitement, and a mixture of sadness found its way to her beautiful face, and Vegeta watched her, completely absorbed in her wonder.  
  
How had he found her?  
  
"I'm going to miss this place, you know." She said over the roar of the ship. She hadn't remembered it being as loud. "Many things have happened on this planet." she paused, struggling to control her voice as a lump formed in her throat. "I made many friends here."  
  
Vegeta looked away, focusing ahead of him. His gloved hand reached for the main control lever, and he pulled back on it gently. Still unaccustomed to human emotion, he made no comment about Bulma's friends, or the strange planet they were at last leaving.  
  
The ship made a tremendous moaning noise as it drew in it's thrusters and left the ground. The room shook a little, and Bulma could hear Spider's claws digging into the linoleum as he scrambled to keep his footing. Vegeta had somehow managed to rope him comfortably into place for their liftoff through the atmosphere. She smiled a little as she thought of what everyone back home would think of the Roctorn. She knew Goku would love him. She wasn't sure about Chi-Chi, though. Ghost was secure inside her knapsack, his furry head and wide, round eyes staring around in wonder as the ship jolted and shuddered into the sky. He had most definetely never experienced anything like it.  
  
Bulma regretted her decision to be in the cabin at their take off. At the rushing altitude, as she was pressed back forcibly into her chair, she felt a strange clawing on panic at the thought of the force of gravity hurting her baby. She whimpered a bit in fear and clutched the seat tighter, her eyes closed tightly shut. The ship rushed ahead, faster and faster. Pressure built in the cabin and her ears popped. She found it an odd thing to be frightened. Although, she had never been pregnant before.  
  
Suddenly, she felt a warm sensation engulf her. Her thoughts of fear and panic seemed to melt away in one strange, glorious rush. She kept her eyes closed, wondering at the feeling.  
  
The baby will be fine. She heard Vegeta's voice echo through her mind. Relax.  
  
Her eyes opened, and she managed to move her head enough to look at Vegeta. His eyes were closed, and he seemed perfectly at ease, though a sheen of sweat beaded his forehead, hinting at some sort of inner concentration. She turned ahead, closed her eyes one more, and puzzled over how she would return her thoughts. She had never done such a thing before, and didn't know the first thing about telepathy.  
  
It will come in time. His voice drifted easily through her mind again.  
  
At last, the ship broke through the Planets atmosphere and shuddered to a much slower pace. She felt the pressure lifting from her body as she leaned forward more easily in her chair as the ship righted itself. She sighed, glad to be rid of the panicked feeling. She adjusted the seatbelt straps and looked over at Vegeta.  
  
"How do I do that?" She asked him quietly. "How do I see what you are thinking, and how do I talk back?"  
  
Vegeta sighed. He seemed tired. "It will come in time, I told you."  
  
She looked down at her hands. "I'd like to know."  
  
He fixed his intense gaze on her, and she flinched under it's power. "It is more than simple thoughts, woman. It is something no human woman has ever done before."  
  
"Chi-Chi must do it, I'm sure."  
  
Vegeta snorted. "Kakarott doesn't know a thing about Sayajin tradition." he said.  
  
"Is that what it is? Tradition?"  
  
Silence. Bulma found herself absently touching the bitemarks on her neck. The wound had softened, but the scars remained. Vegeta had told her that they would never completely heal. She hadn't minded, although it would be strange explaining them to her parents and Chi-Chi. She wondered if Goku had bit Chi-Chi. Her face flushed at the thought, and a giggle found its way out of her mouth. She could just imagine the look on Chi-Chi's face if her lovable goof of a husband bit her hard enough to draw blood.  
  
"What are you laughing about?" Vegeta asked, looking annoyed.  
  
"Nothing." She covered her mouth with her hand. "I just had a silly thought."  
  
Vegeta eyed her for a moment, and then smirked. "Like I said, Kakarott knows nothing about it." he paused. "Besides, it is an ancient artform. It takes practice. It is not a thing to be taken lightly."  
  
Bulma's ears perked up. "Practice?" she echoed. "How much 'practice' have you had, Vegeta?" she heard the hint of jealousy in her voice.  
  
At first, she didn't think he was going to answer her. Then, he chuckled softly, shaking his head slightly. "I've only done it once, if you must know."  
  
"Once?" She asked, touching her collarbone. "Only once?" she swallowed.  
  
"Once." he confirmed. He looked over at her. His face seemed even darker than usual in the sudden absence of light. A billion stars winked at them through the window, and for a moment Bulma held her breath. "And only once." he said in a tone she hadn't heard him use before, turning his head forward. Bulma had a fairly good idea of who his 'once' had been. She felt her cheeks heating. Silence filled the space between them. Then he pulled the lever toward him and hit a switch, then unbuckled his seatbelt.  
  
"Where are you going?" Bulma asked as he stood up.  
  
"No need to get your panties in a knot, woman." He said, his old self rapidly returning. Bulma had learned that these brief intervals of emotion were few and far between, and even shorter. For the advance they had made in their relationship, it was a small price to pay. "I'm stretching my legs."  
  
Then he was gone, leaving her alone in the cabin. She sighed, not at all at unease with being alone. She had managed ships alone before, but she felt a chill at his passing. Ghost wormed his way out of her knapsack and into her arms. She was grateful for his warmth, and snuggled him to her chest. He chirped happily.  
  
"Think I'm getting through to him?" she whispered into his fur. His ears perked up and he flapped his little stumpy arms enthusiastically.  
  
She grinned. "I think so, too."  
  
____________  
  
Bulma didn't remember how long their trip to R'haksin had taken. She had thought a week, then she had thought two. She shook her head, frustrated, and decided against thinking about it any more. Vegeta knew the path home, and he knew roughly how long it would take. That was all that mattered. She had never thought that she could feel so safe with Vegeta, of all people. She realized, suddenly, that she felt more safe with Vegeta by her side than she did with even Goku. She laughed at the thought. Goku was everyone's savior! And yet. . . although he had saved her a number of times in her life, he was no match for Vegeta. Vegeta could make her forget that landfills were filling up, that global warming was approaching, that the Earth was dying more every day, with just one simple hug. Goku couldn't do that. She grinned.  
  
"Of course he can't." A smug voice came from behind her. She whirled around in her seat, her eyes wide.  
  
"VEGETA!" she cried, holding her one hand to her chest. "Why do you always sneak up on me like that?"  
  
"To scare the shit out of you, of course." He replied matter-of-factly. He took his seat behind her, smirking contentedly at the startled expression on her face. She pouted, whipping her head forward, and crossed her arms across her chest. She had no idea how very much like a certain Prince she was acting. She was too annoyed. Why did he have to do that all the time? And how the hell did he sneak up like that? He was almost cat-like in his grace, and it made her face burn because as a woman, that was her department. And she was as clumsy as an Ox.  
  
"Is this how it's going to be from now on?" She snapped, wanting to wipe his smirk right off his face. "Are you just going to read every little thought I have?"  
  
Vegeta shrugged, holding his hands around a mug of coffee. Bulma's mouth watered at the sudden scent of it. She hadn't realized how hungry she was.  
  
"Well?" She demanded after a moment.  
  
"Why does it matter to you?" He asked, still smirking.  
  
"Because it's not fair!" She cried. "I can't do it to you!"  
  
Vegeta turned to her, the smirk gone from his face. "You'd do well to stay out of my head, woman."  
  
She blinked. What was this? "But. . . you. . . "  
  
"I let you glimpse part of my past, in order for the Bond to work." He sipped at the coffee. "You saw for yourself how ugly it was. Do you really need to see more?"  
  
"That's not the point." She protested. "It's just not fair. I'm entitled to my privacy, Vegeta. There are some thoughts I don't -want- you to hear."  
  
At this, his smirk returned full force. "Oh?" he lifted an eyebrow suggestively at her. "What sort of thoughts?"  
  
He was trying to bait her, she knew. She sputtered for a moment, trying desperately to think of a way out of the situation. A comeback. Anything to distract her from thinking about his gorgeous body, tight stomach, and smooth, hard---  
  
"You mean -those- sort of thoughts?" He finished for her, chuckling eevily. He had won. Bulma's cheeks stung with embarrasment, and she fixed her gaze forward, trying to concentrate on the blackness and stars before them.  
  
"You know," Bulma jumped as she felt a warm nose nuzzle into the side of her neck. "They aren't -bad- thoughts to have." he murmured.  
  
Vegeta was standing behind her, his arms running smoothy up her own, raising goosebumps on her flesh. She shuddered in pleasure as his hot tongue darted out and gently ran a trail up her neck, stopping at her ear. "Aren't you an impulsive woman, Bulma? Don't you act on every thought you have?" his warm breath tickled her, and she twisted in her seat.  
  
She decided to play his game. "No, because if I did, you'd be one spent Sayajin." She turned her head enough to capture his lips with her own, but to her surprise, he moved his head away. She looked up at him questioningly, her eyes confused.  
  
"I won't, then." He said softly, still holding her arms. He was bent beside her seat, his face a sudden mask of seriousness, although she could still see the passion burning in his fathomless eyes.  
  
"You won't what?" She breathed, annoyed that he had stopped their game so suddenly. What the hell was he getting at? Did he get off teasing her like that?  
  
"I won't read every thought you have." he replied, motioning for her to stand up. She smoothly unbuckled her seatbelt and obliged, walking around the chair and into his arms. She shook her head, thinking she was tired. This couldn't be Vegeta standing here in front of her, actually pausing a sexual invitation to feed her a serious apology. Then again, she had thought a number of things impossible. She quivered, still aroused by his kisses, but now enticed by this sudden strangeness.  
  
"Vegeta, you don't have to. . . "  
  
"You do need privacy." he cut her off. She stared up at him, feeling the warmth radiating from him. He seemed to be waiting to say more, and she held her breath in anticipation. "And. . . ?"  
  
But before she got her wonderfully impossible perfect boyfriend answer, his smirk whipped back into place. "But not the sort of privacy I'm willing to violate right now."  
  
She rolled her eyes, feeling her breath rush out of her lungs, deflated. She should have known. And yet, she -did- get half of an apology out of him, and that was a start, wasn't it?  
  
Besides, she wanted to see where his kisses would lead.  
  
___________  
  
Bulma cupped her hands against Vegeta's cheeks as they both waited for their breath to return to normal. They had spooned, something they had hadn't done yet. It had felt incredible, but something about Vegeta had been different this time. The same burning, passionate fury had been constant and alive as he had entered her again and again, but his deep thrusts had not held the same uncontained ferocity that they had before.  
  
Vegeta brought her up against his warm chest and burried his mouth in the crook of her neck. He had recovered, and was now running his hand lazily over her abdomen, already stirring more passion within her. She turned in his embrace, deciding against having him again. Besides, he had tired her out, and she wanted answers.  
  
"You were different this time." She said softly, her face so close to his that her lips brushed his own as she spoke.  
  
His defenses flared up, and he narrowed his eyes. "Different? What do you mean, woman?"  
  
"I mean. . . you were much more gentle. Slower." she said, feeling her cheeks turning a light pink.  
  
"Did you like it?" he asked after a moment.  
  
". . .Yes. . ." she said nudging her body closer to him.  
  
He smirked. "Then I shall remember to do it again."  
  
Bulma giggled, but then her face turned serious again. She brought one hand up to his face and wrapped it around his neck, rubbing his chin with her thumb. "Why were you so much slower, and so gentle?" she asked him.  
  
Vegeta glared. He moved his head away from her touch and trief to move away from her, but she held him in place.  
  
"Answer me. Please?" she asked.  
  
"Woman, you are. . . with child." he finally managed, not looking at her. "I did not know if you would enjoy it as much."  
  
Bulma smiled deeply to herself. So that was it. He had been afraid to hurt her, or make her feel uncomfortable. The gentleness with which he had made love to her had been almost shocking. He had cradled her in his massive arms gently and had tenderly thrusted into her while she had held him, all the while ignoring his desperate urge to turn her over, lift her hips, and slam into her with wild abandonment. She had given him the opportunity, too. She had discovered his tail spot, and had been delighted to find what it could do to him. And yet, with so much urge, he had still refrained.  
  
"Thank you." she whispered against his mouth, before he moved his lips over her own in a hot, dizzy rush. It was obvious that the Prince was not entirely satisfied himself. She could feel his length hardening almost instantly against her abdomen. Disapointed, she made a small noise in the back of her throat. It was true, being pregnant with a Sayajin child was not entirely comfortable, and although their lovemaking had felt more than wonderful, she wasn't in the mood for his wild abandonment.  
  
"Vegeta. . . " she moaned. She was about to say more when he silenced her with a tender kiss to the corner of her mouth.  
  
"Go to sleep, woman." He ordered in a gruff voice. Bulma could still feel him pressing into her, and she could see the desire still fresh and unsated in his eyes.  
  
"But, you. . . "  
  
"It doesn't matter. Get your rest." he nipped her lightly on the neck, before moving away from her enough that his erection left contact.  
  
Now, -this- was strange. Bulma watched as he stood up from the bed and began to dress. She had thought he would at least go into the bathroom to satisfy himself, but he didn't. Instead, he opened the closet and removed his spandex and battle armor.  
  
Bulma pulled the blankets under her chin. "Why are you putting that on?" she asked.  
  
He pulled it over his head, securing the straps with loud clicks. He shrugged. "Do I have to explain everything to you?" he asked.  
  
"No, and you certainly don't." She said quietly, although in no mood to argue. She yawned. Sleep -did- feel like a good idea.  
  
"Woman---"  
  
But she was already asleep. Grumbling to himself, Vegeta left the room, closing the door behind him as softly as he could.  
  
_________________  
  
Bulma cried out as she was thrown from her bed.  
  
She fell onto the floor with a loud thud, whacking her tailbone enough to hurt, but not enough to injure. Spider's ungainly hulk was instantly by her side. His golden eyes were wide with confusion and fright, his pupils dialted to nearly twice their normal size. Bulma tried to steady herself on the floor of the ship as she grabbed a fistful of his pebbly fur and hefted herself against him, leaning her body weight into his side. She was unsteady for a moment before she could stand completely. She silently thanked Kami that she hadn't landed on her stomach.  
  
The door was thrown open. Vegeta stormed into the bedroom, his eyes furious but fearful at the same time. He rushed toward her and gathered her into his arms. A string of curses spat from his mouth as he checked her over for injuries.  
  
She batted his hands away. "Vegeta! What the hell just happened?" she asked, bewildered. The ship groaned beneath their feet, making a sound she had never heard before.  
  
"It's nothing. Are you alright?" He grunted, his eyes wandering up and down her length for any sign of hurt. Beside them, Spider whimpered. His six tails tucked uncharacteristically between his legs.  
  
"I'm fine! Now tell me what happened!" She said loud enough to force his attention on her.  
  
He glared, annoyed. "The ship stopped. I don't know what happened." he said. He seemed satisfied enough that she wasn't hurt, and stepped away from her. "I think it's a malfunction."  
  
Bulma could tell he was asking her to come and look. He knew about ships, but not the way she knew about them. She nodded. "I'll go see." She said, and together they hurried down the hall toward the cabin.  
  
Bulma did a quick scan, becoming more uneasy by the second when she couldn't see anything wrong inside the ship. It had to be outside. She swallowed hard, clenching and unclenching her good hand. "I don't know. . . " she said, pressing a few buttons and pushing a few levers. "What happened while you were out here?"  
  
Vegeta looked enraged. "I was simply sitting here!" he said. "The ship just. . . stopped!" he couldn't seem to express his frustration at not knowing what was happening enough. He started pacing, running his hands agitatedly through his thick mane of hair. "There was a loud noise."  
  
Bulma nodded. She didn't know why Vegeta seemed so stressed about a simple malfunction, but it was making her uneasy. She straightened and watched him as he paced, nervously pulling at the bottom of her tanktop. It was all she was wearing, and she didn't even feel chilled. "Vegeta. . . ?" she said softly, her voice pleading. "You're scaring me."  
  
Vegeta closed his eyes and stopped, with quite an effort. He stilled his feet and made fists at his sides, taking his turmoil within. He sighed and glared at Bulma. "If there's nothing wrong in here, then what?"  
  
Bulma made herself speak. "I think it might be something outside." she said quietly. "There might need to be a. . . repair. Something might have hit the side of the ship."  
  
He nodded, his jaw tight. "I trust your father equipped this ship with the supplies needed to do an outside repair?"  
  
Bulma gaped at him. "Of course he did! But, Vegeta. . . he didn't exactly think we'd need to be doing any repairs outside of the ship in the middle of space!" she nearly shouted. Her mind was reeling. What had happened to cause all of this? She could hear Spider mewling nervously behind her. Ghost didn't seem to understand what was going on. Everyone's eyes seemed to be on her. She shook her head.  
  
"You can't go out there. It's too dangerous." she bit her lip.  
  
Vegeta snorted. "Of course I'm going out there. It's you or me, woman, and you most certainly are not."  
  
Bulma took hold of his arm. "But, you can't!" She pleaded, hearing her voice tightening.  
  
Vegeta yanked his arm free of her grip. "Idiot! What do you propose we do, then? Sit here in the middle of space, waiting for the Energy to run out? Waiting for our food to run out? Waiting to die?"  
  
Bulma felt the first tear trickling down her face. Vegeta saw it and threw his head back, growling in frustration. "Crying doesn't fix anything, Bulma!" He shouted.  
  
She drew in a shaky breath. "I don't care!" She cried back. "I don't want you to go out there! I don't want you to get hurt. Not when things are just starting to get better again!"  
  
Something in her face must have struck a cord, because Vegeta's face softened somewhat, and he approached her, drawing her to him with a sigh. She sniffled into his chest, pouting and frightened at the same time. Why was this happening? Why were the two of them getting so upset about it? Vegeta was right, he had to fix it. The repair could be very minor. She clutched him tighter. But then why had the ship jolted so much? Why did Vegeta look so uneasy?  
  
He drew away. "Look, there's no time to waste. I've got to get the suit." he said.  
  
"It's downstairs. In the closet where you found me." She sniffled.  
  
He nodded, and started down the hall. He reappeared moments later in the suit. Bulma had never seen him in anything other than his battle armor and his one casual outfit. The sight of him bundled up in the bulky spacesuit made her stomach tighten, but not in the way that usually led them to a mattress.  
  
"Vegeta, do you even know what you're looking for out there?" she asked him.  
  
He didn't say anything for a moment. "I don't know." He managed, with some difficulty. He sounded ashamed. "But I cannot simply sit here and do nothing. "I'll look for whatever I can."  
  
This was it, then. Bulma stared at the man she had come to Love, and felt a greater fear than anything she'd ever experienced swell in her chest. Something could be waiting out there. Something more powerful than Vegeta. Something he couldn't handle. What would she do then? What the hell would she do then?  
  
"There is nothing I can't handle." He said softly into the silence surrounding them. Bulma moaned as he drew her to him, her breath quickening in fear as she clutched his back. He had read her thoughts again, but she couldn't have cared. She couldn't have cared at all right then.  
  
"You broke your promise." She said, trying to laugh. Vegeta only squeezed her tighter. She wanted him to stay, wanted him to stay hugging her like this forever, but he was right. He had to do something.  
  
"Please be careful." She whispered.  
  
"I'm always careful." Vegeta said as he pulled away, flashing her his incredibly handsome smirk. It melted her heart, and she held her hand to her breast, listening to her heart hammering wildly in her chest as she watched him pull his helmet on.  
  
"Here." He tossed her a walkie-talkie. "Turn it on. I'll tell you what I see." His voice sounded muffled through the glass. He took his own out of his pocket, and switched it on. They stared at each other for a long moment, before Vegeta lifted two fingers in salute and turned.  
  
And then he was gone, down the hallway and through the pod that led to the outside wing of the ship. She heard the steam escaping the door as it slid open, and then shut with a beep.  
  
Moments passed like syrup running down hill. Time seemed to stand still. Bulma stood in the middle of the cabin, and slowly switched on her walkie- talkie. Static filled the air. She stared down at the receiver, her heart beating madly. She brought it up to her mouth, her hands shaking.  
  
Dammit! Stop being so wimpy, Bulma!  
  
"Vegeta. . . ?" she called into her end.  
  
Nothing.  
  
"Vegeta. . . !" she gripped her end tighter, her knuckles white around the receiver. "Vegeta! Come in!"  
  
Static.  
  
Panicked, Bulma turned to the window, where she pressed her face against the glass and frantically searched for the Sayajin Prince. Her eyes moved back and forth rapidly, her hands pressing so hard against the glass that they shook. She ignored the pain rifling through her broken palm. She couldn't see him. She couldn't see him. She couldn't see him.  
  
"VEGETA!" She nearly screamed into the receiever.  
  
A strange, blueish light filled the interior of the ship. Bulma took a step backwards as the ship began to rumble violently under her feet. She heard dishes rattling in the kitchen. Spider growled, his hair standing on end. Ghost delved into her knapsack, screeching. She gripped her chair and stared with incredulous horror at the sudden, unfathomably massive shape coming at the front of the ship.  
  
No. Please. . .No.  
  
Her eyes grew impossibly huge. Time seemed to stop.  
  
It connected.  
  
Bulma screamed, feeling her back slam into the wall of the cabin. Something fell and connected with her skull, and she lifted her hands up in terror and wrapped them around her head and neck, curling herself into a ball. She screamed, over and over, as the ship shook so hard she swore they were being torn in half. Something massive and furry appeared at her side, and somehow, she miraculously held onto Spider, burrying her face beneath his chest, her face pressed into the floor, as the ship jolted and tumbled and things fell and crashed all around her. The bluish light became a white hot glow, and she imagined her head was being torn asunder as a sudden, incredible energy flodded through her entire being. The light covered everything for a moment, flashed even brighter, and then abruptly vanished.  
  
Silence.  
  
Bulma could hear herself sobbing, her body covered by a fuzzy warmth. Something warm trickled down the side of her face, and dribbled into her eyes. She coughed violently, her eyes huge and unwilling to see what had happened around them. Her hands clutched weakly at something to hold, and found Spider's fur. With a pained cry, she somehow pushed herself out from under the Roctorn, and lay sprawled on the floor of the cabin, her head throbbing, her body in shock.  
  
The walkie-talkie lay a few feet from her, miraculously untouched by the damage. She didn't understand what had happened, and only stared blankly at it. She could hear hissing and popping. Sparks flew, and circuit boards sizzled. Something like rushing water came from down the hallway. Was she alive? Where was she? Where was Vegeta?  
  
The ship was intact. Hardly, but intact. She was alive. Her body screamed with fire, but she was alive. Spider had protected her from the brunt of it. She felt burning tears sear down her cheeks as the enormity of the situation began to sink in.  
  
Spider whimpered piteously from where he lay. Bulma could see blood, and turned her head away. She didn't want to look.  
  
Sobbing, she made herself crawl toward the walkie-talkie. Her fingers became claws, and she used them to drag herself toward her only communication, her only hope. Her legs didn't seem to want to work. She flinched as something above her made a horrible screeching sound and exploded above her head, sending sparks dancing through the darkness. At last she reached the walkie-talkie, and curled frantic fingers around it.  
  
Static filled the other end. Bulma lay and stared at it, her mouth trembling as she babbled and sobbed, blood tricking down her forehead and pooling into the crook of her neck. She listened to the static, unable to will herself to say anything. Closing her eyes, she prayed feverenty.  
  
Please.  
  
"V. . .Vegeta?" she whispered hoarsely into the reciever. Her own voice frightened her. She curled her fingers around it tigher, the pain in her hand a mere itch compared to the fire flowing through her nerves. "You can't." She mumbled pathetically, her voice smoothered by a thunderous sob. "You have to be there. You have to be there. . ." Her voice pinched off as a low whine escaped her throat. "You have to be there because I love you. Please? Vegeta? Vegeta. . . ?"  
  
And then Bulma realized something. She had never acknowledged it before, or tried to understand it, but the Bond between her and Vegeta had sparked a continuous, flowing energy within her that she could always feel. It throbbed through her like lifeblood. Now. . .Bulma felt nothing. Panic seized her, and her eyes widened as she tried desperately to find the sensation, grasp the feeling that she had taken for granted.  
  
Nothing.  
  
Gone.  
  
"No." her voice was a wild, sorrowful rampage of fury. She lay, squeezing the walkie-talkie to her chest, clenching her teeth, her toes curling, her eyes tightly shut. "NO!" She screamed, her voice a wail. "YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME! YOU CAN'T!"  
  
Her scream broke off into a tortured sob, a wail that rose above every other noise in the universe. Bulma shuddered into a ball and pressed her face into her chest, her mind threatening to snap into a million pieces.  
  
What was there now, for her?  
  
What was there now?  
  
END OF PART ONE.  
  
_____________________  
  
A/N: Oh! What can this mean? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAA! It means I'm an evil Bitch, that what it means.  
  
I know that was cruel to do to all of you...especially after making you all wait so long for updates, but here's the deal:  
  
NO, THIS IS -NOT- THE END OF THE STORY. This is merely the end of Part One. Part Two won't be even a quarter as long as Part One. It will only be about 10 chapters or so...but who knows? Anyway, I've had some major ideas, so this is why I'm dividing it up into two Parts.  
  
Warning: This story is about to turn a little bit on the AU side. I'm about to fuck royally with the DBZ timeline *evil grin*. Again, I hope that doesn't piss anyone off. And don't worry! This story has a happy ending!  
  
...Or does it?  
  
Keep reading, I [b]promise[/b] you you won't be sorry!  
  
~Jesa Jaisai 


	52. Chapter 51: Severed

Chapter 50: Severed.  
  
AN: Well! Beginning of Part 2! Mwa! I hope you're not all too mad at me about this. I'm hoping that most of you are excited about my new ideas and plans, and the extra 30 or so chapters! Anyway, I'd like to ask those of you who are really distraught about Vegeta to please keep reading. . . I really think you'll all like how everything turns out. :)  
  
Sorry about the short chapter. Next one will be a biggie!  
  
Thanks for all the awesome reviews!!  
  
~J. J  
  
_______________  
  
She had no idea how many hours had passed.  
  
Time was irrelevant. The only thing that mattered was that. . .  
  
Bulma whimpered as the thought flodded through her brain again, washing away all hope, draining all courage. She wanted to ignore it, wanted to pretend that it wasn't true. Yet, it was.  
  
Vegeta was dead.  
  
She could not feel him through the Bond that they shared. She hadn't paid much attention to it before, but there had always been a faint sensation humming pleasantly at the back of her mind, reminding her of him in every way, reminding her that he was there. . . and alive.  
  
Now, that feeling had been torn from her. Yanked violently from her mind like a severed wire. It had hurt, she realized. It had hurt her physically. Where the sensation had once been present, there was now a dull burning feeling. It felt like empty, lifeless fire searing away at her temples. But the pain in her head could not compare to the pain she felt at losing him.  
  
What had happened, out there? What was the massive shape that had come straight at the ship? Even stranger was the blue, white-hot light that had pulsated from where Vegeta had walked. She had assumed it to be him powering up, at first. That thought that whipped through her for a split second before the object had hit. Yet, she had seen Vegeta power up. His aura was blue. . . but had never turned white. It had become so brilliant before the hit, that Bulma had thought, crazily, that it had turned golden.  
  
Something dripped off in the corner, a few feet from where she lay. She was lying on her back, in the same position she had been in when she had realized that Vegeta was gone. The walkie-talkie was still clutched in her hand, although now there was no static. Only dead, eerie silence from the other end. She tried not to think about how that had happened. She didn't want to consider, just yet, what exactly lay outside the doors of the ship. Not yet.  
  
Sparks flew and random machinery shortcircuted inches from her body. An oily substance coated her hair, and she could feel blood oozing thick from a gash in her forehead. She was cold, but that didn't matter. She was bleeding, but that didn't matter, either. What mattered was that the only person she had ever truly loved was dead, leaving her to die alone on a broken ship in the middle of the universe, her belly filled with his child.  
  
Bulma's eyes snapped open. Child. Baby.  
  
She cried out as she sat up. Too fast, she thought, as she went down again. Blood rushed to her head in a sudden river, and she cried numbly at the pain of it. Her body screamed at her unwilling to get up just yet. She panted for breath and wipped the sweat from her eyes.  
  
In the trauma of it all, she had forgotten about the baby.  
  
Bulma felt sudden rage boil up inside of her. How could she have been so stupid? So pathetic? Lying here for hours, in a pool of oil, blood, and Kami knew what else, while her baby stirred within her? How could she have been so selfish? Thinking only of herself. . . despairing when there might yet be hope. Tears ran from her eyes. She felt ashamed of herself for being so useless. Vegeta would have scoffed at her. He would have been terribly insulted, to think that she cared naught for their child, and only for despair. The ship might yet be able to get her home, or at least somewhere. She -did- have something to live for. Her fingers touched her belly gingerly.  
  
She had his child to live for.  
  
Bulma knew she had to get up. She struggled slowly into a sitting position, waiting a moment for her head to feel somewhat normal. If she was going to get anything done, she had to check a few things first. "Spider?" Bulma called after a moment into the darkness. Her voice had a somewhat human semblance again, nothing like the strange, hoarse noise that she had screamed hours ago. "Spider! Boy. . . can you hear me?"  
  
She hadn't heard a noise from the Roctorn. She hadn't been listening. Up until now, Bulma had only been able to think of Vegeta. Now, she felt a twinge of pain bubble up in her throat at the thought of the Roctorn being dead. He had saved her life, for the second time. How could she have forgotten about him?  
  
"Spider!" She cried.  
  
A shifting movement alerted her attention. "Spider? Are you OK, boy?" Bulma cried hopefully. She peered into the shadows, flinching when something near her exploded and sent a wire whipping around in the air inches from her. Crying out, she darted away from the wire and began to crawl toward the Roctorn.  
  
A low, piteous whimpering led her to him. Crawling on hands and knees, Bulma stopped as her hand touched fur. Fur matted thickly with blood. Suddenly sobbing, she wrapped her fist in his fur and pulled herself to the giant, furry creature, not caring that he was covered in blood and grime. She pressed her face into his side and cried, her body shaking with shock and emotional trauma. After a moment, Spider laid his massive head gently on her own, cradling her to him with one giant paw. Touched by the gesture, Bulma clutched her friend closer.  
  
She allowed herself only a moment of tears. "You're gonna be OK, boy." She said, forcing herself to pull away from him and face the harsh reality that her friend may indeed be dying. "You'll see. I promise."  
  
She could see his grizzled head peering at her, his golden-red eyes wide with fright and. . . Bulma bit her lip and swallowed back a lump as it dawned on her. Despite the fact that Spider was most probably dying, the only thing he cared about was ensuring her safety. Worry for her, and an intense loyalty, shone in the Roctorn's eyes. He growled low as he struggled to stand. Bulma ignored the way his hind legs lay limp behind him.  
  
"Spider, you just stay there. I'll make you better. Don't you worry, I'll have. . . " she trailed off, covering her hand to her mouth when she saw the extent of his injuries.  
  
A long, smooth slab of metal insulation from the roof of the ship had been jarred loose. . . and slammed into Spider's back. Blood bubbled from the wound, which Bulma could tell was very deep. Nearly deep enough to reach the Roctorn's spine.  
  
Yet. . .  
  
Perhaps not.  
  
Hope. Bulma forced the word into her head. Hope. She repeated it like a mantra as she kneeled before the furry beast and thought about what she was about to do.  
  
"Hold on, boy." She said softly, preparing herself.  
  
Her hands reached out and she felt along the metal for a dull grip. Bulma closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Spider seemed to realized what she was doing, and he lowered his head and closed his eyes, too. She could feel his muscles tense as she took a firm grip on the piece of metal, planted her feet apart, wrapped her fingers tightly around it. . .  
  
And pulled.  
  
Spider roared in pain and Bulma shot backward, landing on her bottom. She had succeeded. The piece of metal clanked to her side as she scrambled back toward Spider, frantically searching for something to cover the wound with. Blood began to hemmorhage from the wound, and Bulma pressed her hands tightly around it, desperately thinking for a solution.  
  
Spider whimpered. His eyes fluttered once, and then closed. Blood seeped through her fingers, the surge of it very powerful. Spider was alive, but if Bulma didn't do something about the bleeding, he wouldn't be for long.  
  
"Hold on boy!" She whispered fiercely into his ear.  
  
Their were blankets in the bedrooms and a first-aid kit in the closet. But both of those items were downstairs.  
  
Was there even a downstairs left?  
  
Bulma knew the ship had to be intact for it to still be in the air, and running. Whatever had happened outside, it hadn't been enough to completely destroy the ship. If she could make it to the basement, to where the first- aid kit was in the closet, then she could get bandages, gauze, and pins. There was a very good chance that she might step on the wrong piece of floor, and fall right through. The ship wasn't stable enough.  
  
She looked down at the wound on Spider, the blood seeping from her fingers. She didn't know if Ghost was alive. Right now, Spider was her only chance. If something was. . . outside, then Spider was her only defense. Without him, her chances of survival were much slimmer. She felt tears spring to her eyes. But more importantly, Spider was her friend. He had saved her life nearly three times since she had met him. She was not going to let him die.  
  
She decided. Ignoring the fierce pain in her left leg, Bulma forced herself up. She would do no good sitting here, waiting for Spider's blood to drain. Limping, she started toward the cabin door, where she saw only darkness. The long hallway ahead of her loomed, eerie and shadowed. Sparks flew and things clattered to the floor. Water dripped. Bulma felt her heart hammering in her chest.  
  
Could she do this?  
  
She had to.  
  
Steadying herself, and taking one last look at Spider, Bulma took one step gingerly into the hall. She pressed down experimentally on the floor with her leg. It held. Sucking in a breath, she placed her good hand on the doorframe and took the other step. It held, again. The ship groaned and shifted under her, and she felt the floor beneathe her tilt at an odd angle. Bulma whimpered, closing her eyes tightly. Her resolve dissipated.  
  
Don't be a fool, woman. You aren't in any shape to be a coward.  
  
Bulma gasped. She knew she had only imagined the words, but they gave her enough strength. The words stung, but they also brought hope. And tears. She brought her hands down to her sides and made a fist, bracing her legs against the steady tilting of the ship beneath her. Abandoning all fear, and embracing all her Hope, she set her jaw determindley.  
  
Then she ran.  
  
________________  
  
An hour had passed. Spider's wound was tended to and the bleeding had slowed. The wound had not gone as deep as Bulma had first estimated. The Roctorn's breathing was shallow and quick, but that he was breathing was all that mattered. Exhausted, both emotionally and physically, Bulma lay against the beasts side, her head rising and falling with each breath he took.  
  
Ghost had survived the ordeal. Bulma had found him upon returning to Spider. The little Cheribullum had found it's wounded friend, and had grieved beside him as she had applied salve, gauze, and bandages. Bulma had been very relieved to see that Ghost had survived. He was curled against her stomach, now, fast asleep. She wished she could do the same.  
  
She had went through so much trauma in the last few hours that Vegeta's death hadn't truly sunk in yet. That she had something to live for, her baby, was the only thing that made it tolerable. "Where are you?" She whispered into the darkness, her hand on her belly. Tears pooled in her eyes, and for the first time since the crash, Bulma curled her head into her chest, hugged herself, and cried.  
  
Torrents of tears came, and didn't seem to stop. For every tear that fell, another memory of Vegeta would replace it with another. His smirk. His eyes. The way he had blushed furiously when they had first found Ghost. The tenderness with which he had held her in the bathtub, when she was near death. The feel of his skin against her own. The way he constantly insulted her, but made her feel more like a Princess than any other woman alive.  
  
She shuddered as a heart-wrenching sob shook her.  
  
The way he loved her.  
  
Ghost seemed to sense her need for comfort, and wiggled his little arms against her in a half-hearted attempt to warm her heart. Bulma needed it, and held him tightly to her. If she was going to get through this, she needed to still her tears and start making something happen. She was a smart woman. She was a brave woman. She had been through worse. . . hadn't she?  
  
She'd thought, a long time ago, that she was invincible. Vegeta had only made her feel more strongly about that. If she could make the world's most cold-hearted and indifferent man feel Love, then she should feel invincible, shouldn't she? Bulma smiled at that thought, her first smile in hours. She could do it. She could repair the ship. She could help herself.  
  
And yet. . .  
  
The terrifying possibility that she could end up stuck on the ship, floating through space endlessly, waiting to die, was very real. She scrunched up her face and tried not to think about it. She had come to realize that obsessing over the negative things in life didn't do anyone any amount of good. Chin up, Bulma. She thought. Stare the world in the face. Use your brains. Stop those tears.  
  
Make Vegeta proud.  
  
A cynical giggle escaped her lips as she contemplated Vegeta being even prouder than he had been before.  
  
"Spider?" She whispered into the darkness. She touched his fur gently. He felt warm, which was a good sign, and his breathing was slowly starting to return to normal. She gently took Ghost from his seat in her lap and sat him next to the Roctorn, and stood up. She needed to get her ass in gear. Wiping her hand across her face, she decided her first order of business was food.  
  
She was pregnant now, which meant she was eating for two. If any repairs on the ship could be done, they would take days. Perhaps even a week or two, since she would be working from scratch and by herself. The four remaining boxes of bulk food would need to last her.  
  
And. . .  
  
Bulma turned and looked back at her two beloved friends. What about Spider? What would he and Ghost eat?  
  
She closed her eyes at the dreaded thought. It would be foolish to starve herself for two animals that would not live for many more years. Especially when one was already wounded, and ate enough for five. They were her friends, but she was more important. She had a child to live for. She had a baby within her to protect.  
  
Ghost and Spider had enough food to last them a while, too. Bulma and Vegeta had decided that when they would return to Earth, the Cheribullum and the Roctorn would most definetely adjust to human/dog food quite quickly. It was not much unlike their own from R'haksin.  
  
She balled her hand into a fist. A week, tops. That was how long the food would last her. She would have to work day and night, but conserve enough strength to stay healthy for herself and the baby.  
  
Bulma took a step over to the control pannel. Most of the circuit board was intact, but badly damaged. The radar and communication screens were in working order. If any ships were to pass by her, she would appear on their Radar, as they would on hers. It was her only hope of being rescued. If the ship's energy ran out, the communication would fail her. She was standing inside a pitch black ship. Any passing space craft would assume it a Ghost Ship, lights out and no responding communication. A life-scan could always be preformed, but not many ships would go so out of their way on a small, insignificant traveller.  
  
Indeed, she had to work fast. 


	53. Chapter 52: Where is the Hope, now?

Chapter 52: Where is the Hope, now?  
  
AN: Meh, I had a busy weekend. What can I say. Enjoy the chapter!  
  
~J.J  
  
____________  
  
Bulma stepped away from the circuit board. She wiped a loose strand of hair from her eyes and glared down at the few remaining wires.  
  
So far, she had returned most of the loose wires to their proper place. Fixing the cabin of the ship was the first and most important of the repairs. It didn't matter how bad the damage outside of the ship was, if the main controlroom wasn't opperating, then nothing would.  
  
She had been working for hours on end, and hadn't realized how truly exhausted she was before her legs trembled beneath her. She wanted to keep working, wanted to get out of her predicament as quickly as she could, but she knew that if she didn't allow herself rest then she could overexhaust herself. She turned from the circuit board and walked over to Spider and Ghost, making her way through the dark interior of the cabin. Bulma had never been afraid of the dark before, but floating out in the middle of space without any lights on was terribly unsettling. Space had a darkness to it that defied any shadows she had ever seen. It seemed to swallow everything up. She stood staring out the window at the thousands of blinking stars before continuing toward her furry friends.  
  
Spider had stopped bleeding, which meant that he was going to live. There was no telling how quickly or slowly the wound would heal, however, and Bulma knew she had to be careful. She wished now that she had asked Strifelon more about the Roctorn's as a species. If she had, she might have been able to help Spider more efficiently. She sighed and sat down beside him, pushing his water bowl closer. When she had found the fist aid kit, she had also brought up some blankets, food, and Ghost and Spider's water dishes. Ghost had drank heartily, but Spider had turned his head away. This worried Bulma.  
  
"You have to drink something, boy." she said softly. "Please?"  
  
Spider's eyes closed. His chest shuddered as he took in an obviously painful breath. Bulma's forehead creased as she scrunched up her face and tried not to cry. She could see a fresh stain of blood spredding across the bandage, seeping through. He had recovered from his beating from Tajil when he had attacked her down in The Dungeons. It hadn't taken him long. However, this wound was different. It was internal, rather than external, and very deep.  
  
Bulma needed more bandages.  
  
__________  
  
Chi-Chi gasped in surprise as Goku bolted upright out of bed. A sheen of sweat on his forehead shone in the moonlight coming in from the window. He looked terribly unsettled. Chi-Chi put a hand on his forearm and gently squeezed it.  
  
"Goku?" she prompted him.  
  
He wiped a hand across his face and glared softly, seemingly struggling with some internal concentration. "Something's wrong." He said.  
  
His demeanor was so unlike him that Chi-Chi felt her heart fluttering. Her first thought was that something had happened to Bulma; a day hadn't gone by that she hadn't thought about her best friend.  
  
"What do you feel?" She asked softly, trying to keep the terror from her voice. "What is it?"  
  
"Vegeta." Goku said, his voice worried. "I can't sense his ki."  
  
Chi-Chi's eyes went wide, but she was confused. "What do you mean?"  
  
"Everyone has a Ki, Chi-Chi." Goku said absently, rising from the bed. He began to pace around, his hands fists at his side. "I can always sense them. . . the Ki of those around me. It's something a Sayajin can do."  
  
Chi-Chi had heard Goku explain this to her before. She put her hands in her lap and forced them together, watching her husband as he paced. "What does it mean, then?"  
  
Goku stopped. "It means. . . that something has happened to Vegeta. He's. . . he's gone."  
  
"What?" Chi-Chi bolted out of bed. "Are you sure? But that. . . that can't be right! How could Vegeta have died? What's happened to Bulma, then?" she heard the panic rising in her voice. "What the hell is Bulma going to do without Vegeta to protect her now?"  
  
"I don't know." Goku ran a hand through his hair. He paused and sighed. "He should have let me come."  
  
Chi-Chi was thinking fast. "Whatever happened to Vegeta. . . means that Bulma is alone now. They were probably on the ship, weren't they? So that means. . . we could wish Vegeta back with the Dragonballs, but then what would we do about Bulma?"  
  
"Vegeta would appear on Earth. Not where he died." Goku reminded her.  
  
"Would. . . would the Dragon let us wish Bulma back to Earth?" Chi-Chi asked him.  
  
Goku looked over at her, pain in his features. "I don't know, Chi-Chi. He might not."  
  
Chi-Chi felt tears welling in her eyes. This wasn't supposed to happen! Everything was just supposed to work out for them. They were supposed to be back weeks ago. What had happened to Vegeta? Was Bulma still alive? One thing was for sure.  
  
"Goku," Chi-Chi grabbed hold of his arm. "We have to get the Dragonballs."  
  
_____________  
  
Vegeta opened his eyes.  
  
Was he dead?  
  
Had he been born again?  
  
He gasped, nearly choking on a mouthful of strange, dark blue liquid. He reached for his throat and his eyes bulged as he drew in the liquid like oxygen. His body tensed and he shuddered in confused, sweet torture as he realized that he was breathing solid liquid. He was lying facedown in it, and for a moment he lashed out with his legs out of instinct and brief panic, only to be hit with another startling discovery.  
  
He wasn't sinking. Whatever he was lying on was solid.  
  
Vegeta's brows came together in a confused glare. When he moved, his gloved hands sunk deeply into the liquid, but when he applied strength to move himself into a standing position, they held, and he pushed himself upright. He straightened on unsteady legs, and took in the strange and wonderous place around him.  
  
If he had indeed died, this was not Hell.  
  
The sky above him, if it could be called a sky, was an endless, pitch black void of glittering stars. It moved and shifted with the same texture as a bowl of slowly stirred syrup, although the stars did not move with it. He felt nauseaus looking at it, and for a moment his arms shot out to steady him, before he decided to take to the air.  
  
The air was thick around him, and he felt uneasy to breathe it. Was it air? Where was he? The ground beneath his feet was the strange blue liquid he had been lying in. It too shifted and moved with the same slow, continuous river of travel. Dark shapes moved within its depths. The sky seemed low upon him, stretched on forever on all sides of him. Vegeta turned in the air, staring in annoyed wonderment as he realized that where ever he was did not have a beginning, or an end. It simply went on forever.  
  
"Eternity." a female voice said softly.  
  
Vegeta whipped around, startled. Before him, a figure began to take shape. The air shimmered around him, and he felt the hairs stand out on his arms as an impossibly beautiful face seemed to push and stretch against the very air, until at last, it 'popped' through and settled into the space around him. It was a woman, and in that very moment, Vegeta was not foolish enough to make the mistake of assuming her human.  
  
She was. . . something different.  
  
Cascades of black hair swam from her scalp, always moving, seeming to flow, but never growing longer. She was wrapped in a simple white cloak, her body upright as she floated before him. Her face was gorgeous, beyond beautiful, and smiled at him with a curious wonder. Her body twisted and shifted in the air, her eyes two glittering black orbs, devoid of pupils. Her mouth opened, and it was simply a dark red hole. She spoke.  
  
"Why do you come?" her voice made Vegeta's skin crawl. Muscial, it floated and echoed across the vast endlessness of the void. She turned her head to look at him with a sideways glance. Her skin shimmered with a dark blue streak that crossed her features like spilled paint. She had not stopped smiling.  
  
"Is this a dream?" Vegeta asked cautiously.  
  
The woman turned again, her eyes glittering strangely. "No." She said, and her sudden smile dissipated from her face. A frown melted upon it. "You are not dreaming, Vegeta."  
  
"How do you know who I am?" Vegeta growled. Anger and defense screamed at him to power up, while instinct told him calmly to listen.  
  
She lifted her hands through the air, and Vegeta felt a wave of low humming rush past his ears as she did. Her frown increased, but he could see carefully hidden curiosity behind it. "I have brought you here. It is of. . . great importance." she put emphasis on the word, her musical tone changing to a definite chord of authority and wisdom.  
  
Vegeta glared. What was she talking about? Who was she? Where the hell was he?  
  
"Where is Bulma?" He growled suddenly. "I demand that you tell me what is going on!"  
  
Her face shifted to sad again. "In due time, Prince." she said softly, and Vegeta swore he could hear children crying on the wind of her voice. "In due time."  
  
"TELL ME!" He roared, suddenly frightened. Something was wrong. He could feel it. He felt panic swell within his chest. Where was Bulma? Why had this. . . thing brought him here?  
  
She appraised him for a moment before speaking. "You are dead, Vegeta. You are neither in Heaven, nor in Hell. You are not between the two. You are here only because I have brought you. I have brought you because it was needed. I made the choice. I intervened."  
  
"Intervened!" Vegeta snarled, moving forward. "Stop talking in riddles!"  
  
Her mouth turned down dramatically. "You have much anger within you." she paused. "It is of great importance that you stay here."  
  
"Stay? I'm not staying anywhere!" Vegeta roared. In his sudden raging panic, he brought his hand before him and fired a ki blast at the woman. The blast roared from his palm with intense, flaming fury at shot straight at the woman. Vegeta gaped, open-mouthed as it passed completely through her, merely causing a slight shimmer. Her waves of hair settled around her quietly, and she silently stared at him.  
  
"That which brings you death is useless to you here." She said softly, an obsidian tear rolling down her cheek. "I am sad, but it is of great importance, Vegeta. I intervened to save you. I intervened to show you. I will show you, and you will understand. If you do not, you will never again exist. You must see."  
  
Vegeta fell to the floor, his knees falling into the liquid. He stared down at his hand in disbelief, and then back up at the woman. Her tear fell to the liquid, and caused a ripple of a black wave to wash over Vegeta's knees. He felt nothing. The liquid was neither wet, nor dry. It was cold.  
  
He was cold.  
  
He lifted his head, his voice hoarse. "What have you done?"  
  
_____________  
  
Bulma's eyes flickered open. She had fallen asleep. She sat up, rubbing at her eyes. How many hours had passed? There was no way of telling.  
  
For a moment, she thought that perhaps she was not yet awake, because of the strange beeping noise she heard in the back of her mind. She mumbled, turning over against Spider, groaning at the noise. She was so tired. She just wanted to go back to. . .  
  
Bulma shot upright. Beeping noise?  
  
Staggering to her feet, Bulma raced for the control pannel. Her breath caught in her throat as she looked down and saw the radar screen flashing, indicating another ship. Bulma's hands came up to her mouth, her fingers shaking. The ship was large, but not much bigger than her own. She couldn't tell much from the model, but they were only a few miles away. The communication screen flickered to life, and Bulma watched, her face green in the glow of the screens, as a blury image came into view.  
  
It was a figure. She could not tell if it was human, male or female. So bad was the damage that the communication screen still didn't register properly. But there was a face. She was not alone. There was another ship. She wouldn't die out here.  
  
Her heart racing, Bulma listened to the disfigured, detached voice. "Identify yourself." she strained, trying to make out if the voice sounded masculine or feminen. She couldn't tell. Her hand trembling, she reached down and flicked on her side of the communication screen. Now they would be able to see her face. She wondered if their view of her would be as blury as her own.  
  
"B-bulma Breifs. H-human." she finally made herself say. "Female. First class."  
  
"State your status." the disfigured voice replied.  
  
Now her normality began to return to her. She could feel an odd excitment mixing with a growing sense of unease. "Injured. My ship is badly in need of repairs." she paused. "Running low on fuel."  
  
The voice was a long time in coming. "State your crew."  
  
Bulma closed her eyes, her finger shaking violently on the button. She clicked it down with a great effort.  
  
"No crew." she whispered. She wouldn't tell them about Vegeta, or about Spider and Ghost. The possibilites of them helping her were already slim. If they knew she had alien creatures aboard with her, there was a good chance they would turn around.  
  
"State any infectious diseases." the voice snapped her out of her thoughts. Bulma found a small smile sneaking onto her face as she realized she could proudly reply that she had none.  
  
"None. Health is top notch, save for a few injuries." she said clearly.  
  
She did not want to tell them about the baby. She didn't know these people. She didn't know how many of them there were, or what they were, or what they would do. She wondered briefly if perhaps she shouldn't have sounded so eager. These could very well be the wrong people to be 'saved' by. Her mouth felt dry. Yet, she had no other choice. She had estimated the amount of damage to the ship. She could not to the repairs herself, and the HOME communicater, leading to her father's main base, was not opperating. These might very well be the only people she would run into. For days. Weeks. Months.  
  
She didn't have that long.  
  
Heart racing, Bulma waited for a reply.  
  
"We will commence resque." The voice said after a moment. "Please prepare to lock and engage your thrusters. Buckle yourself in."  
  
Bulma's breath was coming raggedly now. "There -are- no thrusters." she said into the communicater. "Resque will have to commence---"  
  
She didn't get a chance to say anything more as a jolt jarred her off her feet. She stumbled and swung out with her good hand, grabbing her seat to steady herself. Her feet were swept from under her and she held on to the chair with her one hand, fighting to stay upright. Spider growled from where he lay, his eyes wide and confused. Bulma righted herself, and swung into her seat, and strapped her seatbelts on. They could have given her more warning! She'd been right in the middle of a sentence!  
  
Spider's claws dug into the floor of the ship and he tried to stand up. Ghost scurried off into a dark corner, chirping wildly. "Spider, STAY!" Bulma said loudly over her shoulder to him. She didn't want him getting up, just yet. It might take them a while to get to her. He needed all the rest he could get, although she didn't think with the sudden excitment that he would be sleeping. Mewling deep in his throat, Spider grudgingly lay back down.  
  
Bulma held on to her seat for dear life, memories of the present day (had a day even gone by?) flowing freely and painfully through her mind. She could not deny that she was terrified. What had she gotten herself into? Who were these people? She hadn't thought to ask them anything about themselves. She could very well be resqued by a renegade group of bounty hunters, pirates, or murdering scumbags.  
  
One last, violent jolt rocked her in her seat, and then all was silent. She was still wondering how exactly their ship had reached hers so quickly. She held her breath and waited, wondering if she should get out of her seat, just yet. She looked over her shoulder at Spider, who was getting up, wether or not she wanted him to. He limped over to her and protectively laid his head on her shoulder. Bulma touched his neck gratefully. "Good boy." She said softly. Together they stared ahead, Spider panting and Bulma shaking, waiting for whatever it was that would happen.  
  
Bulma squeeled in surprise as she heard a loud, shuddering clanking noise. They had released their thrusters and attached themselves to the side of her ship. She wondered, frantically, if the ship would hold under the sudden pressure. She could hear airlocks escaping in screams of steam, and she knew they must have released their transport tube. Most definetely, one of the crew members would be making the walk in a suit toward her ship's main airlock door right now. Her fingers gripped the seat tighter.  
  
Spider began to make a low, keening sound deep in his throat. His eyes had narrowed, and his tails lashed around agitatedly behind him. "What's wrong, boy?" Bulma asked, rubbing his neck in a comforting manner. No doubt the big Roctorn was frightened by the sudden change of events.  
  
Yet. . .  
  
Something about Spider's behavior was unsettling. He looked almost. . . anxious, as though he found something familiar about the situation. His massive nostrils sniffed the air delicately, and Bulma watched, confused, as his tails began to wag back and forth. He pawed the ground and lowered his head, looking out from under his furrowed brows. The keening noise altered in pitch, turned almost happy, and then lowered again to frightened. Bulma could not understand what was wrong with her friend. She wanted to pass it off as simple animal behavior, but it was making her nervous.  
  
Then, with a hiss of compressed air, the door to her ship opened. She could hear someone moving slowly into the corridor, and out of the transport tube.  
  
"Hello! I'm in here!" Bulma called. She undid the buckles to her seatbelt and tried desperately not to think of what the person. . . or thing waiting for her looked like. "I'm in the Cabin!"  
  
Her buckles came apart with a soft click, and Bulma rose from her seat. She could hear the person moving toward her through the hallway. Her fingers wove together like knots. Her heart hammered in her chest.  
  
Then, things took a turn for the worse.  
  
Spider lowered his head to the ground, planted his feet apart, and began to make an awful, violent growling noise. Bulma had little time to contemplate his sudden change in behavior before she felt a rush of air past her ear, and then felt two strong, muscled arms come around her throat. She screamed, before one gloved hand covered her mouth in an attempt to quiet her, smothering her cry. She heard a brief scuffle, a growl from Spider, and then silence. Something fell hard to the ground. She kicked out, but a hard, rigid body pressed up against hers and stopped her useless flailing instantly. Panic flared up in Bulma. She could hardly move.  
  
Then she was thrown over the shoulder of her captor like a potato sack, carelessly. She struggled again, but strong hands held her tight. She screamed inwardly at herself. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! She shouldn't have returned their call. She should have just ignored them. She should have waited. Waited a bit more. Should have been more careful!  
  
She thought she would scream when her captor released his hand from her mouth, but instead, only tears came. She sobbed uselessly as she was carried down the hallway and into the dark transport tube. She shivered against the sudden cold, and wondered what not wearing a proper spacesuit was doing to her body.  
  
Where was her Hope now?  
  
She tried to get a look at her captor, but it was too dark to see anything properly. The only thing she could make out in the bad light was that whoever it was, it was definetely male. And strong. Very, very powerful. It frightened her to think of how easily they had restrained her. She could feel coarse hair brushing against her skin. She looked down at the man's boots.  
  
The door to the transport tube opened, and light so brilliant flodded into the chamber that Bulma cried out, temporarily blinded. They walked toward it, and Bulma was suddenly swung down into her captors arms and dumped uncerimoniously onto the hard, cold floor of the new ship. Air hissed as the door was locked and shut behind them. She crawled up into a ball, instinctively holding her stomach, and tried to get her bearings straight. The light was bright. . . nearly too bright to see. She sucked the cold air in through shaking gasps and shuddered as another set of boots stepped quietly into view.  
  
"I told you to be more careful with her." an angry, yet aristocratic voice said from above her.  
  
Her captor shrugged from behind her. She could hear the rustle of fabric.  
  
"She's alive. Isn't that all that matters?"  
  
"Hardly." The voice in front of her snapped. Bulma's head swam. She struggled to pinpoint her confusion as she stared numbly at the black and silver boots. There was something. . . familiar about the man's voice before her. Something that she couldn't quite place. Hadn't she heard this voice before? She took a breath and put one hand out to steady herself. Well, she wouldn't know if she continued to sit here. Shaking, she slowly raised her head.  
  
And looked up at Vegeta.  
  
_____________  
  
I did it again, didn't I? I left you all at a cliffy. ^_^  
  
Well. . . only one way to find out what happens, right?  
  
Reviews welcome!  
  
~J. J 


	54. Chapter 53: Understanding

Chapter 53: Understanding.  
  
Sorry this chapter was late coming. I finally got my pet Snake, so he's been occupying most (if not all) of my time. Little bugger finally ate. Thank Kami! Thanks for all the awesome reviews! Camaro: Thank you for the kind words. You flatter me!  
  
~J.J _________________________________  
  
Bulma stared, uncomprehending, at the face of the man she had come to love. It didn't make sense. It didn't make any sense at all. And yet. . . it was Vegeta, who stood before her.  
  
Wasn't it?  
  
Everything was the same. The strong, smooth line of his jaw. The sensual lips hidden by an angry scowl. The upsweep of hair that pulled back from his head in a sharp, exagerrated widows peak. His build, the way he stood with his arms crossed over his chest.  
  
She did not understand what she saw.  
  
"V. . .Vegeta?" she made herself say. Her lips were trembling, and her eyes were wide. She clutched the hem of her shirt and balled it into a fist. She wanted to run into his arms. She wanted to stand up and launch herself into his embrace, hug him until he couldn't breathe, tell him she loved him until he was deaf from the force of her words, but something held her back. Something like gut instinct in the back of her mind told her that she wasn't crazy, this -wasn't- Vegeta. He was Sayajin, but not her Prince.  
  
The man standing before her peered down at her with a sudden, dangerous look. "What did you call me?" he hissed. His voice was much like Vegeta's, but different. The man sounded almost. . . aristocratic. It was arrogance, but a different kind entirely. It was a civilized arrogance. Something she did not expect from a Sayajin.  
  
"I. . . " Bulma tried to form words. "You. . . " she was torn between wanting to run and wanting to cry.  
  
"Out with it." The man demanded. Bulma noticed a tail lashing out behind him. She swallowed hard, not liking the sudden look on his face. Thoughts of her body being vaporized in a ball of energy cleared her head enough to speak. "Who are you?"  
  
It was the only thing that needed to be answered. This wasn't Vegeta. It wasn't. . . was it? She needed to know. She stared at him, her eyes travelling over the same face she had stared at so many times.  
  
A moment passed, where uncomfortable silence reined. The dangerous look began to slowly dissipate from the man's face, although Bulma felt no less terrified. Why did he seem so upset by the mention of Vegeta's name? Why. . . didn't any of this make sense? Then, the man did something she had not expected him to do. He walked toward her and extended a hand. He held it there in front of her, and she only stared at it. He waited a moment.  
  
"I thought you humans were good at accepting help." He said smugly, and Bulma's gut twisted when a familiar sensation of anger and amusement assailed her. Not only did he look like Vegeta in every single way, but he had that same smug way of insulting her, too. She continued to stare at his hand for a second longer, terrified to take it.  
  
"Get up." He said, motioning his hand closer. There was no mistaking the authority in his voice. Trembling, Bulma reached out and took his hand. His skin was soft and smoothed, but calloused. Just like Vegeta's. She swallowed hard, unable to look at him, and he lifted her from the ground with as much effort as it took her to lift a piece of paper. It took a second for her legs to steady.  
  
"Your name. You said it was Bulma Briefs. Is that correct?" The dangerous look had vanished from his face, leaving a ghost of unease.  
  
She nodded dumbly.  
  
"It had better be. I do not take well to liars." he said. Bulma flinched at the tone in his voice. "Now," he turned and suddenly began to walk away, into the ship. He motioned over his shoulder with a wave, indicating that she follow. The man behind her, who she hadn't yet looked at, nudged her. She stood rock solid, planting her feet apart, unwilling to go.  
  
"W. . .what are you going to do with me?" She whispered to his back. He turned slowly.  
  
The look on his face stilled her heart. "Are we going to have a problem, Bulma?" He asked, peering curiously at her with cold amusement.  
  
She said nothing. Finally, she made herself shake her head. She was trying desperately to figure out why these two men would want her. How did they find her? What had happened to Vegeta? What were they going to do with her?  
  
The man behind her pushed her roughly and suddenly, startling her out of her thoughts, and she stumbled ahead into the corridor of the ship, her mind turning more and more numb by the second. The man behind her clamped one gloved hand onto her shoulder and steadied her ahead. They caught up with 'Vegeta' shortly.  
  
"No problems, Raine?" The Vegeta-lookalike asked. Bulma stared at him out of the corner of her eye as they walked, taking in his attire. He wore form- fitting black pants, though they were not of the spandex material Vegeta so often wore. A black and silver chestplate with gold strapping covered the bulk of his torso. His neck was covered nearly to his chin with the same black material as his pants, although it was slightly tighter. Gauntlets covered his wrists. He wore traidtional Sayajin footwear.  
  
"One beast." Raine replied. "I took care of it."  
  
Vegeta slowed in his tracks, and Bulma's heart skipped a beat at the sudden change of expression on his face. "Ah." he said slowly, turning to her. She suddenly realised he stood a full two feet taller than her. She unconciously shrank back.  
  
He lifted a finger in front of her face. "You lied to me."  
  
She fought to swallow past the sudden lump of fright in her throat. "I. . . I was only worried. I didn't want to chance anything." She suddenly noticed a necklace hanging from his neck. A strange symbol glinted from the medallion; a anchor-like shape. She stared.  
  
Hadn't she seen that somewhere before?  
  
His face was unreadable. She didn't like his expressions; they weren't easy to decipher.  
  
"What was this 'beast' you were hiding?" he demanded. He paid no attention to the fact that she was staring at the necklace.  
  
Sadness battled its way through her fear, and she was suddenly overcome with sorrow for Spider and Ghost. "He was my friend, not a beast." She lifted her chin, ignoring the way her voice trembled.  
  
"Friend?" Vegeta snorted. Beside her, Raine chuckled with him.  
  
"Odd 'friend' to have aboard." Raine remarked. "Damned thing was a Roctorn."  
  
"R'haksin. So that's where you've been." Vegeta said, his dark eyes flittering from Raine and back to her. He waited a moment. When he realized she wasn't going to say anything, he motioned his head toward the corridor, and they continued walking.  
  
"We'll get you. . . settled." he said as they walked. "You get one hour, and then I get my answers."  
  
Bulma's mind raced. Settled? One hour? Thoughts of being raped and vaporized had been tumbling through her mind, but it seemed it would not be so. Raine tugged impatiently on her arm and dragged her ahead. She finally looked up at him and nearly gasped. Raine could not be Sayajin. Long black hair hung well past his shoulders in a gentle, flowing wave. Parts of it were tied into small braids, and bones and beads and other assorted oddities decorated the length of it.  
  
Raine noticed her staring, and turned his face to her. Bulma's eyes widened. Sharp, clear blue eyes stared back at her from a smooth, untouched face. He had a square jaw, a long nose, and thick, brooding brows. Her eyes flickered over his body for a split second. He had the build, and the tail. Yet. . . she had never seen a Sayajin so. . . pretty.  
  
She snapped out of her staring. What was she thinking? She had to get out of here. "Where are you taking me?" she grabbed his hands, trying to pry his grip from her wrist. It was useless.  
  
"To the brig." He replied calmly, and looked back ahead.  
  
"No, not the brig." Vegeta called over his shoulder as they came to a stop at a door. He pressed a few buttons, and the door opened with a hiss of air. The air within was stale, and the area darker. Bulma felt relieved for the rest from the harsh brightness.  
  
"Not the brig, sir?" Raine sounded confused.  
  
Vegeta turned. "No." He said, inhaling a deep breath. He leveled a gaze at her that made her insides turn to jelly. "She'll come to my quarters."  
  
Bulma's blood turned to ice at the look in his eyes.  
  
"I think she'll be most comfortable there."  
  
_______________________________________  
  
He had exhausted his body to the point of shock.  
  
Feeling hopeless, Vegeta sank to his knees in the strange blue liquid, and ran his shaking hands through his hair. Behind him, the strange woman with the black eyes watched him silently. He had nothing left to give. No energy would come to him. He looked ahead at the endlessness of his prision, and couldn't even muster enough anger to scream.  
  
"Do you see, now?" She asked him, her voice a distant chime.  
  
He ignored her. All he could think of was Bulma. He didn't remember what had happened to bring him here. Where ever Bulma was, she would need his help. He could help her. He could.  
  
"And still you keep me here." He growled softly, closing his eyes in defeat. "I can't even kill you."  
  
The woman clasped her hands together sympathetically. "Do not hate what you do not understand, Vegeta."  
  
He raised his head. "All for a reason, right?"  
  
She said nothing.  
  
Vegeta snorted, and made himself stand. His hands tingled with the exertion of sending thousands of beams of energy through them. The ki blasts had simply dissipated into the air around them as though they were nothing more than harmless bubbles. Never in his life had he felt more useless, more frustrated. He had begun to realize. . . here, he could do nothing. Here, it did not matter that he was the Prince of the Sayajins. Here, his power was useless.  
  
"Let me go." he said hoarsely.  
  
The woman hung her head. She had not yet given him a name, nor an explanation. She had simply watched, expressionless, as he had expended himself to no avail. "I told you, Vegeta. I cannot."  
  
He turned to her, his eyes furious. "Bulma could be dead." he said fiercely. "I need to go to her."  
  
She scrunched up her features into a mask of pain and shook her head. "Bulma needs something from you that is more important than your assistance."  
  
Vegeta growled in frustration and leaned against the air. It held him, curiously. He glared at her. "I'm sick of your riddles. Speak to me straight, or don't say anything at all."  
  
She spread her hands imploringly. "What would you have me say?"  
  
"I'd have you tell me why I'm here, what happened to me, and why you will not let me go!" he roared, advancing toward her. His body yearned to tear her to pieces, and he felt the anger at not being able to.  
  
Untouchable enemy.  
  
"If you would sit, and listen with your heart, I would tell you." she paused. "Would you do that?"  
  
Vegeta looked around once more at the strange, unending world surrounding him. He could run forever, he knew, and would find no end. He could fly as high as he dared and would find only darkness. Wherever he turned, he remained behind.  
  
He turned to her and sighed grudgingly, sitting himself down on the ground before her.  
  
"Speak." he said. "And I'll listen."  
  
_____________________________________  
  
"Sit down."  
  
Bulma stared ahead of her at the massive, king sized bed. It was neatley made, to her surprise. The Vegeta look-alike stood behind her and motioned for her to sit down. She stared down at the comforting offer, and then swallowed past her yearning. She turned to him.  
  
"Why haven't you killed me yet?" She asked. "Why do you not simply get it over with?"  
  
Vegeta's lips turned up in a smirk. Bulma looked away, refusing the sweet memories that swelled within her breast at the familiar sight. This was -not- Vegeta.  
  
"You intrigue me." He replied simply, moving closer to her. Bulma flinched as he brushed past her with hardly a touch. He chuckled. "Do you fear me?"  
  
"I know your kind." She replied quickly. His gaze sharpened.  
  
"I know." He said. "That is what intrigues me."  
  
He did not give her time to answer. "You called me 'Vegeta'." he said after a moment's pause. He was walking slow circles around her, and every move made Bulma more and more uneasy. She felt her arms wrapping around her of their own accord. "Why?"  
  
He stopped in front of her. She was powerless to resist his gaze, and stared into it. She said not a word.  
  
"You will find I will tire quickly of your intriguing qualities, Bulma Briefs." he said softly, but with deliberate menace.  
  
She did not mistake the threat in his tone. "You. . . you look exactly like him." she looked down at the ground. "How do you know him?"  
  
"I think that is my question." He replied. He walked over to the bed and undid his armor with a click, tossing it negligently onto the bed. Bulma watched as he loosened the material at his neck, rotated his thick shoulders, and tucked the strange medallion into his shirt. He noticed her watching and frowned.  
  
"You think I mean to rape you."  
  
Bulma was struck by his words, but found she had no retort. He was right. She had been thinking just that. Feeling warmth blossoming on her face, and a strange fear bubbling in her gut, she clenched her hands and forced them to her sides.  
  
He snorted. "I have more honor than that."  
  
Bulma suddenly felt angry. "What I have seen of Sayajins, I did not think 'honor' was in your code."  
  
He cocked his head and smiled. "Oh? And what have you 'seen' of Sayajins."  
  
"I know. . . " Bulma halted, a lump gathering in her throat. "I know one."  
  
"One."  
  
She nodded.  
  
Vegeta resumed his pacing. He tucked his hands behind his back and watched his own steps with curious interest, seemingly deep in thought. "And this Sayajin would be Vegeta."  
  
Bulma looked away. She was revealing too much. She couldn't tell this man about Goku, or anyone else back home for that matter. Yet here she was, saying most everything that popped into her head simply under the threat of torture, which hadn't even been implied.  
  
She looked up and gasped. He was staring right at her, inches from her face.  
  
"How do you know him?" he said quietly. "Answer me."  
  
Bulma tried to turn away, but he grabbed her wrist and pushed her back against the wall. She shrieked out of fright and tried to struggle, but it was useless. He pushed her body against the wall with his own, and she fought desperately to remind herself that this was not Vegeta, this was not Vegeta.  
  
He leaned his face into her neck and inhaled deeply. She shuddered, terrified for her life, and crawling with sorrow.  
  
"How." he repeated, tightening his hold on her wrist.  
  
She cried out, tears springing into her eyes. "He's my lover!" She nearly yelled into his face, struggling slightly.  
  
He drew back so suddenly that Bulma stumbled forward, startled. He cocked his head to one side, regarding her with a sort of inane amusement. "Lover?" he sputtered the word with an incredulous, loud voice.  
  
She rubbed at her wrists, wincing at the pain from her broken palm. She didn't know how to react.  
  
"Y. . .yes." She said uncertaintly. "You do not believe me?"  
  
He threw back his head and roared with laughter. "You've been injured far worse than you let on, human!" he shook his head. "Vegeta does not know the meaning of the word 'Love'." he snorted and walked away. "Sayajins have no use for love."  
  
She glared at his retreating backside. "Don't sound so sure of yourself!" she said indignantly.  
  
He turned. "I knew Vegeta well." he said after a moment. A silence stretched for pause before he cocked his head again and regarded her with a curious smirk. "He raped you, then?"  
  
Bulma's face flared with anger and embarrasment. "How dare you speak of Vegeta that way!" She suddenly felt strength returning to her voice. "You don't know anything about him!"  
  
"And you are daft, woman." He said, his own voice raising. "I knew Vegeta well enough."  
  
Bulma scowled, tears running freely down her cheeks now at the memories of the Prince. "I suspect the Vegeta you knew was much different from the Vegeta I know." she said fiercely.  
  
"His child grows within you, that is true enough. How it got there was not an act of 'Love', human." He scoffed, amused at her bewildered expression. "What? You think me a fool? I could sense him the second you walked into the ship."  
  
"How. . . "Bulma's hand wrapped around her belly protectively. "How did you know that?" she narrowed her eyes, trying to push her fear aside. Curiousity was mounting. "I knew Sayajins could sense Ki. . . but how did you know it was Vegeta's son?"  
  
A smirk. "Because I am Vegeta's brother."  
  
Bulma's heart skipped a beat. "What. . . ?" Her eyes grew wide. Brother? "How. . . that can't be."  
  
"Why not?" He asked, amused. He ignored her as she stumbled forward into a chair against the wall, one hand pressed to her chest and the other steadying her decent. She lowered herself into the chair, her heart thundering, her eyes wide. Brother? Why had he not told her of a brother?  
  
"He did not know."  
  
Bulma's head swivelled around. Fear lept into her throat. "What?"  
  
He frowned, staring into the distance. "I was born a secret. I was not as strong as the Prince, and therefore, I was not the destined heir to the throne of Vegetasei." he paused. "My brother went on for greatness, while I remained a discarded plaything. I wasn't enough, but I was powerful. Thus, they made the decision not to kill me."  
  
"Play. . . thing?"  
  
He walked over to the large window beside the bed, clasped his arms behind his back, and gazed out at the stars. "You know. If we hadn't found you, we'd have spoiled a truly good thing."  
  
Bulma inched back in the chair. "What do you mean?" She whispered, caught in his cold gaze as he turned on her.  
  
"Vegeta's son." he shook his head. "Why he chose a human eludes me." he turned from the window and walked over to her chair, ignoring her sudden frightened cry. He took her wrist and pulled her up.  
  
"What happened. Why is your Earth not demolished?"  
  
Bulma's mind raced. She couldn't tell him about Goku. . . but what if he already knew? Vegeta was dead, but even she did not know for sure. Could she tell him these things? What would he do?  
  
"If I tell you. . . you'll still kill me." she said hoarsely.  
  
He made an exapserated face and rolled his eyes, dropping her wrist from his grip. "You humans truly are insipid creatures. I will not kill you. Not while you are of value to me." she followed his gaze down her body where it rested on her belly.  
  
She did not mistake the meaning of his look.  
  
Her blood ran cold.  
  
"I'll kill myself." she said firmly, taking a step back. "I won't let you have him."  
  
He chuckled. "Really. You'll kill yourself, and your unborn child. The child of the man you foolishly love."  
  
"Do not presume to call it foolish." She whispered with venom.  
  
"And what else would I call the rape of a human woman? Do not fill your pretty little head with such delusions. You mean nothing to Vegeta. He merely used you as a shell for his heir."  
  
Bulma stared at the Sayajin before her with cold fury. Slowly, she reached up to where her collar was, and began to undo the buttons at her neck. Slowly, and with careful deliberance, she rolled the material down to where the twin bite marks should be. Fighting to control her fear, she prayed for her fingertips to find the marks. They were her only proof now. They were her only memories.  
  
She shivered as she touched them. Heat sprang into her fingertips as they connected, and she turned, triumphant, and proud of the man she loved, to show her glory to the critic before her.  
  
The man's eyes grew wide and cold as he took in the site of the bite marks. The symbol of the Sayajin Bond.  
  
The symbol of true and honest affection, the only affection for one such as a Sayajin.  
  
Furious and bewildered, he grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her to him, inspecting the marks with a frantic denial.  
  
"Everything you know about your brother is untrue." Bulma said as he shoved her roughly away. She stood a proud woman before him, her love proven, Vegeta's honor safe. "Vegeta is a good man. He is not the man you once knew. If you think to use his child. . . for whatever means, I will kill myself."  
  
She turned to him with her own look of furious determination. "Do not presume me a fool, simply because I am a woman."  
  
The man stood at the window, his fists clenched, his eyes uncomprehending. Fury and bewilderment coursed through his veins, a curious mix. She had been right. Vegeta had. . . Bonded with a human.  
  
He turned slowly.  
  
"Everything I knew of my brother. . . was hatred." he stared at her as she stood holding her belly. "He knew not of Love. He knew only death." he swallowed. "We knew only death."  
  
Bulma looked away. "You can change. Vegeta did."  
  
"You speak of him as though he is gone."  
  
She raised her head, suddenly frightened, and tried to think of an answer.  
  
"I. . . "  
  
He chuckled softly, shaking his head. "It does not matter. I sensed he was dead."  
  
Bulma stared.  
  
"It's true. . . then?" she whispered, stepping towards him. "You cannot sense his ki?"  
  
The man turned, and Bulma saw sorrow in his expression. "I have tired of talking."  
  
"Wait! You can't just-"  
  
She was cut off as he stalked toward her, his face a deadly warning. "I can do whatever I want." he hissed. "I'll have no lip from you, human."  
  
"I have a name." Bulma snapped, amazing herself at the familiarity of the situation. Constantly, she was finding she had to remind herself that this man was not Vegeta.  
  
The man seemed not to care. "You'll stay here tonight." he said sharply, motioning toward the bed. "Tomorrow, you are up early. You will work for me."  
  
Bulma stepped toward him. Her head was bogged down. She couldn't think fast enough. "Wait! What do you mean, work?"  
  
"I mean, you'll work." he hissed through clenched teeth. Bulma couldn't understand why he was suddenly so angry, but she knew Vegeta had something to do with it. "You can work, can't you?"  
  
"I'm pregnant." Bulma mumbled feebly, knowing it was a sorry excuse.  
  
Just as she knew he would, he shook his head with a sneer and waved a hand at her. "You are only a few weeks along. That won't be your excuse for months to come."  
  
The room was spinning.  
  
Months?  
  
"What sort of work do you expect me to do?" she asked. Her tongue felt thick and useless in her mouth.  
  
"Are you any good with machinery?"  
  
For a moment, Bulma considered saying nothing. Feigning obliviousness. After all, women did not know a wrench from their elbow, right? He could believe her. She would lie.  
  
And yet. . .  
  
She searched for steel resolve within herself. "What if I can? Does that make me of use to you?"  
  
"That. . . and a few other details." He said, his anger vanishing at the hint of her sudden strength.  
  
"I know a fair bit about machines." Bulma said after a moment. She looked him in the eye. "I'll fix whatever you need me to fix. . . on one condition."  
  
The glare returned. "There will be no conditions."  
  
"You will allow me to return to my ship to collect a number of things. The Roctorn included."  
  
"It is dead. Useless to you."  
  
"You do not know that."  
  
"Raine does not mistake his kills."  
  
"Your ship has malfunctioned, hasn't it?"  
  
A silence stretched between the two. Human and Sayajin regarded one another with a cold, defiant hatred. The Sayajin needed her. She needed the Sayajin. Neither would admit it, but both knew.  
  
"You need me." Bulma affirmed softly.  
  
"Get your rest." He said, turning his back to her and stalking toward the door. "I will be here early tomorrow morning. You will rise when I have need of you. Do not try to escape; Raine will be positioned outside this room."  
  
Bulma looked down at the floor. "May I at least have something to eat?" she asked quietly.  
  
Cold, black eyes flickered uneasily toward her for a moment, and then hardened abruptly. Saying nothing, he turned and exited the room.  
  
The door slammed shut behind him, the locking mechanisms sliding into place with a loud clank. Bulma slumped to the floor, her bravery gone. She hugged her knees to herself, and finally let herself go.  
  
Where ever her Hope was now, the stepping stones were slippery. _______________________________________________________________________ 


End file.
